Akira, Kankokage of the Three Mountains
by Kankokage
Summary: Naruto is now 17 years old and a new chuunin. But in the quiet highlands of the Country of Brine a dark organization is threatening peace in the world, and Konoha must team up with a mysterious ninja named Akira to prevent total war from breaking out.
1. Introduction

AKIRA, KANKOKAGE OF THE THREE MOUNTAINS

**AKIRA, KANKOKAGE OF THE THREE MOUNTAINS**

Original Naruto Shippuden Story

Written by Mark Jemmett, a.k.a Kankokage

First conceived: 9-13-08

Please no copy-and-pastes! Direct readers here!

_Greetings! Welcome to the story! Let me first explain what is going on. This first section is merely an introduction to the character around which the story revolves. It began as a simple character creation request on another site (), and it kinda bloomed and blossomed into this._

_So you know, this story incorporates elements of the manga, so if you are an anime-only Naruto fan, it might be a good idea not to read this. But since I want you to read it, may I recommend reading the mangas and getting caught up on your stuff. Also, it is important to note that this story is available here and at under the storyteller forum. It is not copied by some loser who wants to make himself look talented – it is uploaded by me, the writer. As a procedural note, I upload the story there first, then here. __**I have already finished 12 chapters as of 10-15-2008, and they are released every Wednesday and Saturday**__ (unless I'm, like, dead or something). Anyway, without further ado, here is the first installment._

**INTRODUCTION:**

Per request, I have decided to create a new thread devoted to a post I wrote in the thread "Build a New Naruto Character: Friend or Foe!". I hope you guys don't think I'm too lame, but seriously, I love to write . I figure if people like it, I will continue this little story I made here. If you guys have any awesome suggestions, I will definitely consider weaving them in. Anyway, here goes!

Ah, the nerdiness inherent in my being is beginning to fluctuate...a response is coming! Okay, I know this is kind of lame, but here goes:

My character would be known as the Kankokage (I know that's my screen name, but please, hear me out). His real name is Akira Sugiyama, and he is in his early twenties when introduced. He is the head ninja of an new, unknown village (the Hidden Village of Three Mountains) in a country to the north of the Demon Country, known as the Country of Brine. It is a rather odd country, riddled with high, arid deserts, huge pine-forest mountains and large saltwater lakes. The name Kankokage literally means "Shadow of the Salty Lakes".

From outer appearance, he looks no different from anyone else you might encounter in the ninja world; instead of elaborate clothing, he wears regular peasant garb, as well as a forehead protector denoting the symbol of his village: three triangles, each representing a mountain near his village. Beneath the garb he keeps a large array of kunai, caltrops, scrolls, and other various ninja items. Four items, however, set him truly apart from any other ninja outside his village, and more specifically his clan.

First, a small black and green scroll kept on his belt is used to summon the guardian creature of the Country of Brine: the dreaded Dire Osprey Kyodaimokin (i.e. giant bird of prey), upon which he travels the expanses of his country. Akira is the only member of the village who Kyodaimokin honors, but will support others if Akira so orders.

Second, third, and fourth are Akira's rings. He wears three rings on his hands: two on his left hand, and one on his right. These rings are integral to his strength, and are connected to both his body and soul. These rings are the Ring of Earth, the Ring of Wave, and the Ring of Dragon.

In the Sugiyama clan, ring making has progressed to the point where a ninja can focus his powers into rings, allowing him or her to use them to greatly enhance both stability and intensity of chakra formation. Chakra is continually gathered into the rings while the wearer is inactive, building up a literal storehouse of power - thus allowing the wearers to expend only a fraction of the chakra normally called for in various jutsu.

Akira is blessed with two elemental chakra types: earth and water (similar to Tenzou a.k.a. Captain Yamato). However, Akira cannot use these to make wood or any other living or organic matter. The Ring of Dragon is associated with the Sugiyama blood-line limit: the Dragon Transformation. Unlike a jinchuuriki, the Dragon Transformation is not related to the presence of a demon or other creature, but rather the intermingling of human DNA with that of a Dragon deity named Koryoujin. When activated, the Ring of Dragon unloads all its stored power into Akira, temporarily giving him attributes of a dragon: nearly-impenetrable scales, fierce claws, eagle-eye vision and heightened senses, dragon wings, and fireball jutsus similar to the Uchiha clan. When combined with the Ring of Stone and the Ring of Wave, Akira can temporarily achieve a state of near-invincibility combined with unheard of strength and chakra, but not without price - once the chakra is used up, the effect on Akira's body would leave him frail and immobilized, and in most cases would exhaust him to death.

The main weakness of the Sugiyama clan is their dependence upon their Chakra Rings. If a ring is forcibly removed by an enemy, the shock to the wearer's system is 75 fatal. Additionally, if a ring not made for an individual is put on, a period of temporary power is attained, but after a matter of seconds that person will succumb to a similar potentially fatal shock.

The Country of Brine is headed by a wicked feudal lord who commands the ninjas of the Three Mountains to assault the five great countries in a foolish attempt to grab power, making their first attack upon the Country of Lightning. A group of powerful, rogue ninja, planted by the feudal lord in the village carry out assassinations on any and all detractors, and a coup is staged when Akira, the Kankokage rejects the king's command. Akira escapes the village with Kyodaimokin and a handful of his followers, but the other ninja in his small village decide to follow orders rather than be killed.

Akira flees the country of brine and sends word to the Raikage of the impending attack, but the Village in the Clouds ignores the warning. Akira then sends word to Konoha, and Tsunade-sama takes it seriously. She decides to send Shikamaru as the leader of a group consisting of Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura to assist Akira in stopping the war. What will happen when Akira and Naruto meet? Will Hinata finally make her move, or will things get dangerous between her, Naruto, and Sakura? Will Sakura finally drop her misplaced love for Sasuke and move on to better and brighter things? How many cloud patterns will Shikamaru recognize? What about these rogue ninja?? The story continues to develop...


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: NARUTO'S PROUDEST MOMENT – CLOUD OF DARKNESS OVER THE BRINE

**CHAPTER 1: NARUTO'S PROUDEST MOMENT – CLOUD OF DARKNESS OVER THE BRINE**

"Rasengan!" shouted Naruto Uzumaki. A small, spherical ball of chakra, in his palm, connected with the chest of Konohamaru, sending him flying back and leaving him crumpled upon the ground. The crowds sat in silence, amazed at what had just transpired before them.  
This was the final battle of the fall Chuunin Exams, and everyone came to see it. Naruto versus Konohamaru, it was all anyone could talk about the last month. But now it looked to be at an end, both ninja battling fiercely and brilliantly.

"I think this is over," said Shikamaru, acting as exam proctor.

"I-I expected n-nothing l-less from my gr-greatest r-r-rival," said Konohamaru softly as he lay on the ground. "You deserve it. Y-you will be Hokage!"

"Konohamaru," said Naruto in between deep, heavy breaths.

"The winner of the Chuunin Exams is Naruto Uzumaki!" said Shikamaru proudly. At once the entire stadium exploded in shouts, cheers and applause.

"Hell yeah!" screamed Sakura, seated next to Sai and Ino in the front row in the stands. "Naruto! That was so awesome! Hell yeah! HELL YEAH!"

"I don't understand why you are cursing at him," said Sai emotionlessly. "He won the match…I thought this would make you happy?"

"She is happy, Sai," said Ino. "Sometimes when people are really happy, expletives can be the only way to express yourself."

"I see," said Sai as Sakura continued screaming in exultation. "Let me try it then." Ino's expression suddenly changed. _Oh no_, she thought.

"Wait, Sai!" she said, but it was too late.

"Naruto!" Sai shouted. "You're an amazing piece of shi-!"

"Sai! No!" shouted Sakura, tackling Sai before he could finish.

--

"Impressive," said Tsunade, seated next to Gaara and Shizune. "I think they both performed admirably.

"I agree," said Gaara. "I think Naruto is Jonin level already."

"No, not yet," said Tsunade with a grin. "But he really is something else."

"Will you choose him to be the next Hokage?" asked Gaara. Tsunade was a little taken aback by this question. "He is showing himself to be the most powerful of all the ninja in this village, and his ability to control his chakra has vastly improved. In addition, he is showing the mental growth and maturity of a sage. I think he would make a perfect Sixth."

"He still has a lot of growing up to do," said Tsunade. "He is only 17, and in many ways he is still like the annoying little kid he once was. I know you favor him, Kazekage-sama, and really I don't blame you. He really is a special ninja, more so than myself…"

"His ability to control the Kyuubi is legendary," continued Gaara, his unblinking gaze centered on the dancing Naruto on the field below. "I never had that kind of control with the One-Tail."

Later that evening, a celebration was being held at Ichiraku's. Naruto and Konohamaru had both been given the rank of Chuunin, and rumors were out that Naruto was being considered for Jonin status. Everyone was there: Kakashi, Hinata, Lee, Kurenai and Anko, even Gaara stopped by to congratulate Naruto. So many people were there that the party stretched all the way across the dirt road, and went late into the night.

--

In the dark of the same night in the Country of Brine, the land north of the Demon Country, something unpleasant stirred in the Hidden Village of Three Mountains. Shadows moved silently through the alleys of this small village as its residents slept except for one.

Akira Sugiyama, known as the Kankokage, the head of the ninja village of the Brine Country, stood quietly at his window in his small house. Akira was young, just barely 20 years old with erratic brown hair and green eyes. He was normal in his appearance in nearly every way, and if you ran into him on the road, you probably wouldn't think anything of it. He had felt troubling fears ever since the feudal lord had died, thanks to the emergence of his successor, a mysterious man named Dakatsu. It just seemed wrong how the whole scenario had played out; Araiguma, the former king, was perfectly healthy, but was found dead in his home with no evidence of any wrongdoing or wound. But when Dakatsu took over, rumors started to pervade the people of the Brine Country, rumors that Araiguma had been murdered.

"Something is not right in this country," he muttered to himself. "Even the birds seem wary." Behind him, a knock came to his door. "What is it?"

"Kankokage-sama!" said a man's voice, one he recognized to be Tonbo, his most trusted ninja. Akira walked over, and opened the door, only to see Tonbo exhausted, stressed, and covered in sweat.

"Tonbo, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Lord Dakatsu demands that we mobilize our ninja and attack the Country of Lightning!"

"What?!" asked Akira. "Why? There have been no hostilities whatsoever!"

"Dakatsu demands it," replied Tonbo.

"This is not right," said Akira softly. "Very well, I will go meet with Dakatsu and find out what this is about. Until then, make no military movement whatsoever! Understood?"

"Yes, Kankokage-sama!" said Tonbo, and with that he disappeared into a cloud of dust.

_What are you thinking, Dakatsu_? thought Akira as he put on his shoes and grabbed his effects, and with a similar puff of smoke he too disappeared, leaving his room empty. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he reached the edge of the village. The full moon illuminated the three great mountains behind the city, and Akira pulled out a small black and green scroll, opened it, bit his thumb, and shouted.

"Summoning Art, Kyodaimokin!"

**Next Wednesday, 9/17/08: BETRAYAL OF DAKATSU – FLIGHT OF THE DIRE OSPREY**


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: BETRAYAL OF DAKATSU – FLIGHT OF THE DIRE OSPREY

**CHAPTER 2: BETRAYAL OF DAKATSU – FLIGHT OF THE DIRE OSPREY**

With a mighty crashing sound and a storm of dust and smoke, a huge bird appeared before Akira perched upon the earth, its wings folded against its body, and its piercing golden eyes peering straight at him. The raptor's coloring was exquisite and beautiful: its feathers were a mixture of white, black, gold, and gray. The talons upon its feet were 3 feet in length and sharper than a kunai. The bird, known as the Dire Osprey Kyodaimokin, lowered its head down to Akira, setting it head and eyes a few feet from his own.

"What is it, Akira?" asked Kyodaimokin in a soft, mid-ranged woman's voice. "It is rather unusual for you to summon me here, so close to your new village, and at this hour of all times."

"I need your assistance," said Akira. A slight breeze picked up, blowing his hair slightly in the night wind. "Dakatsu has ordered the ninja of my village to go to war against the Lightning Country, and I feel that there is only darkness at work."

"What do you want me to do then?" asked Kyodaimokin. "I do not wish to destroy the king of the country I live to protect."

"I need to go see Dakatsu immediately," continued Akira. "Could you please take me to his residence?"

"I think that can be arranged. Climb up." Akira leapt high into the air and landed on Kyodaimokin's neck.

"Thank you, Kyodaimokin," said Akira. "Let us go." With those words, the osprey leapt into the air and with a mighty beating of its wings it sailed high into the midnight air. Its destination led it away from the Three Mountains and north for several miles until the Domain of Dakatsu was visible. The Domain was the home and resting place for the current and former feudal lords of the Country of Brine, and was an unusually lavish palace for such a poor country.

Few resources aside from salt were readily available for production in the Country of Brine; trees did not grow as well here as in other countries, and the trees that did grow had tough, knotty wood that was good for just about nothing. The country was rich in mineral deposits, however, and as such most of the country's residents not involved in salt production were miners, engaging in the more grueling and time-intensive tasks of production. The Domain was built near one such mine, long since emptied, but many of the treasures found therein were kept in this small village. Gold covered many of the details of the architecture, and fine marble and granite made up the walls and structures.  
On this night, few torches were lit around the Domain, a characteristic not normally displayed. Akira directed Kyodaimokin to land about a hundred yards away from the main gate of the Domain, where they landed and Akira disembarked.

"Stay here until I come back," said Akira. "We may need to leave quickly."

"Very well," said Kyodaimokin, a slight sense of ennui in her voice. "Just don't keep me waiting too long. It's my bedtime too, you know."

"I know," said Akira, who then turned and walked toward the gate. Behind him, Kyodaimokin began to fade and disappear. Akira did not worry; he knew that Kyodaimokin and the other Osprey were talented at concealment, even to the point where they could hide in an open field in broad daylight, and only the most trained Kekkai Genkai could uncover them.

"Who goes there?!" shouted out a guard near the gate as Akira approached.

"Akira Sugiyama is my name," he responded.

"A-Akira? Open the gate! Kankokage-sama has arrived!"

Ahead of him the great wooden gate of the Domain opened, revealing the large residences inside. Two guards manned the gate, each brandishing a spear and fine armor. _Why so few?_ asked Akira to himself.

"What brings the most noble Kankokage to our village this night?" asked the guard.

"I have come to meet with Dakatsu on urgent business," Akira answered.

"But Kankokage-sama…?"

"My business is of maximum urgency," said Akira sternly. "If you will not grant me permission to enter, I will have to do so by force!" Akira reached into his shirt and grasped a kunai.

"I-I am sorry, Kankokage-sama!" whimpered the guard, falling to his knees. "Forgive me! I will take you to Dakatsu-domo now." Akira smirked and released his grip on the knife.

"Thank you," he said politely, and the guard led him into the Domain. Dakatsu's house was the central edifice of the village, and not coincidentally the largest and most lavish. Inside the lights were on, and the movement of shadows could be detected as Akira and the guard neared.

"I must return to my post," said the guard after they reached the house.

"Thank you for your help," replied Akira. With that, the guard sprinted back the way they came, disappearing from Akira's view. Akira then turned and walked up to the large, wooden door. The symbol of Brine was inscribed upon it in large, red strokes, and Akira pounded his fist against it. A servant opened the door, and developed a horrified look as he recognized Akira in the doorway.

"K-K-Kankokage-s-sama!" he mustered, but Akira pushed past him into the house before he could let him in. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Where is Dakatsu?" demanded Akira. "Where?!"

"H-he is upstairs with…" but before he could finish, in a flash Akira began running up the large stairs. He could hear their voices growing louder as he ascended, and two levels up he reached the door where they were located. Where Akira stood was dark, and the light crept out from the door frame illuminating his feet and eyes as he neared it to listen.

"Tonbo did not seem to be too keen on your command, my Lord," said a man's voice that Akira did not recognize. "Do you think it was wise to not kill him?"

"Don't be an idiot!" responded Dakatsu in a low, angry voice. "He's our second best ninja, and he is far greater than any of the Country of Lightning since the Two and Eight-Tails were defeated. Killing him would have been a guarantee for defeat."

"And what about Akira?" asked the man. Akira's heart began beating faster, and his breath shortened.

"We will just have to see," replied Dakatsu. "However, I am sure he will reject my command."

"Why don't we ask him?" said another voice, this belonging to a woman. "He's standing right outside the door." Akira stepped back to run, but was too slow. The door burst open and two masked ninja burst through, grabbing him and wrestling him to the ground. The two then carried him into the room, where Dakatsu, a dark-haired, middle-aged man wearing lavish robes, and 8 other masked ninja wearing dark gray clothing were standing.

"Akira Sugiyama, the Kankokage," said Dakatsu slowly with fake respect. "I take it then you have spoken with Tonbo-kun?"

"You are out of your mind, Lord Dakatsu!" shouted Akira, struggling unsuccessfully to break free. "The Country of Lightning has done nothing to warrant this!"

"So that's a 'yes'?" asked Dakatsu.

"Sounds like it to me," said the ninja standing next to him. Akira looked up at his face; the forehead protector was that of the Three Mountains, but Akira knew this was a lie.

"Who are you?" demanded Akira to the ninja. "What village are you from?!"

"But Kankokage-sama," replied the ninja in a sweet voice. "I am one of your loyal ninjas!" The other ninja began laughing, along with Dakatsu.

"You lie!" yelled Akira.

"Lord Dakatsu, may I?" asked the ninja. Dakatsu nodded, turned and walked out of the room. The ninja then pulled out a katana from a sheath on his back, and approached Akira, still being restrained.

"Damn it!" cursed Akira, but the approaching ninja just laughed.

"So the mighty Kankokage," he muttered rudely. "We heard so many great things about you, but now that I've finally met you, I am definitely not impressed."

"Is that so?" said Akira. His eyes suddenly grew wider, and the Ring of Dragon upon his left index finger began to glow. "I am sorry to have disappointed you. But I think it is time for me to leave."

"Ha! You are in no state to mount an escape! Prepare yourself to join the departed!" The ninja raised the Katana, and slashed it down at Akira's neck. CLANG! The ninja stared as Akira's right hand grabbed the katana mid-swing.

"W-What in the…?" stammered the ninja. Akira's skin had changed; no longer did it look human, rather leathery and scaly, dark and brownish-bronze, with fierce black claws replacing his fingernails.

"I told you," said Akira, his voice now low and raspy with intensity. "It is time for me to leave!" Akira turned his face and looked up at the ninja, who recoiled in horror. Akira's eyes were now red with golden specks, the pupil now a slit like a snake. The scaly skin was now covering his face, and a ripping noise started in his back. Suddenly the two ninja restraining him were thrown aside like dolls as two large, black wings shot out from Akira's back.

"Kill him!" shouted the main ninja, and the others obeyed. Twenty kunai sailed immediately at Akira, and the ninja, all of whom showed eyes of malice, suddenly changed them to fear as the kunai all bounced off from Akira's now scaly hide.

"What is he…?" asked one of the ninja. Akira then smiled, and brought his hands together: boar, ox, dragon, bird, snake.

"Datsugokushu no jutsu!" (escaped prisoner technique)

Akira's wings gave a mighty beat, hurtling him into the air while throwing the ten ninja into the walls from the great current of air. Akira then threw an exploding note attached to a kunai at the ceiling, and with a great explosion blew a hole through which he flew out into the cool night air.

_I used almost all of the stored chakra in my escape_, he thought. _I need more practice with this ring. Some Kankokage I am…_

A streak of pain shot through his right wing, and he turned to see a kunai sticking out of it, red blood streaming out. Akira then heard one of the ninja below:

"Kessen no jutsu!" (bloody battle technique)

The blood that had been pouring out of the wound now turned and sped towards Akira's face, and when it landed on him it began to burn.

"Aargh!" screamed Akira, and he began to plummet to the ground.

_What's…happening…to…me? What…jutsu…is… this?_

"He's a dead man now," said one of the ninja. "His released blood is now his enemy. No amount of armor can protect you from that."

Akira couldn't see anything; the blood was now covering his entire face, and the burning increased but immediately the situation changed. Akira felt himself land softly onto feathers, and immediately he knew what had happened.

"Kyodaimokin!" he wailed. "We must go back…to the…village!"

"Hang on, Akira!" replied Kyodaimokin, and she flapped her mighty wings and ascended at an amazing pace. Down below, the ten ninja looked onward with a mixture of glee and fear. They had, after all, nearly defeated the great Kankokage, but what was that giant bird that rescued him?

The further away Kyodaimokin and Akira got from the Domain, the less the blood burned, until after a mile it stopped completely.

"What jutsu was that, Akira?" asked the Osprey.

"All I heard was 'bloody battle'," he answered. "I did not know of any technique that could affect blood like that."

"Seems like you were right before," said Kyodaimokin. "'Leave quickly' indeed. What exactly is going on?"

"Dakatsu intends for us to attack the Lightning Country, but there is no reason to do so," answered Akira, now reverted back to his normal, human form. "Those ninja that attacked me are masquerading as Three Mountain ninja, but they are definitely not from this village, and I suspect they aren't from this country either."

"Did you see their faces?"

"No," answered Akira. "They were all wearing masks. All I could see were their eyes. Dakatsu gave them permission to assassinate me though."

"How many guards were at the Domain?" asked Kyodaimokin. "All I could see were two at the gate."

"I only saw the two," said Akira. "Normally there's at least a regimen of fifty…" Akira stopped suddenly, his eyes growing wide, his face trembling.

"What is it, Akira?" asked Kyodaimokin.

"We must return to the Three Mountain village! Hurry!"

**New for Wednesday 9/17/08:** **CHAPTER 3: TERROR IN THE THREE MOUNTAINS – A DISTURBING MESSAGE**


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: TERROR IN THE MOUNTAINS – A DISTURBING MESSAGE**

Wind swept through Akira's hair, moving it like a tongue of flame in the night as he and Kyodaimokin swiftly sailed through the midnight air towards the Three Mountain Village. _Please don't let it be too late_, thought Akira.

"What do you think is going to happen?" asked Kyodaimokin. "You seem to be in an awful rush."

"I don't know what to expect," replied Akira, his face still stained with blood. "I am hoping that nothing will be wrong, and that everything will be just fi…" Kyodaimokin crested a small hill, and the village that sat beneath the Three Mountains became visible. Small flecks of orange and yellow waxed and waned, and pillars of smoke were visible even in the pale moonlight. It was burning!

"Your people are scattered across the village," said Kyodaimokin calmly. "From here I can see them being chased by what look like guards of Dakatsu…and your ninjas are fighting back."

"Hurry!" shouted Akira, his eyes wide and glazed, tears beginning to form along his eyelids. "To have come this far, to finally have a village of shinobi, to finally bring strength and security to this land… only to be betrayed by the one we serve and protect."

"Your people are standing strong against the guards," continued Kyodaimokin. "But they are sorely outnumbered. How many ninja do you have in your village?"

"Twenty-seven, including myself," answered Akira. "The rest are family members and other non-shinobi citizens."

"Twenty-seven will not be enough. I'm seeing hundreds of guards."

"Hundreds?" asked Akira in slight bewilderment. "There aren't that many guards in the Domain! Where are they coming from?"

"I can't see any more detail from here," answered Kyodaimokin. A few moments later they reached the outskirts of the village, but Akira motioned for Kyodaimokin not to land, but to continue towards the Brine Temple, the tallest building of the village.

"Take me there, and wait for my return," said Akira as the temple neared. "We need to get the people out of the village as soon as possible…"

Without warning Kyodaimokin let out a screech and swayed heavily. Akira could not keep his grip, and was thrown from the mighty bird. Below, a catapult was listing back and forth, evidently having just been fired in their direction. Akira was now less than two hundred feet off the ground, and Kyodaimokin could not be seen anywhere around him.

_My dragon chakra is gone, but I still have this!_

The plain metal ring upon his left ring finger began to glow, and Akira felt the chakra flow into his hands and body. Below, he could see several guards, five to be exact, and one other, a darker figure. Suddenly, a cloud of shuriken appeared below him from the direction of the darker figure. Akira thought quickly and made several hand signal in the blink of an eye.

"Ganpeki no jutsu!" (rock wall technique)

A slab of floating rock appeared before him just long enough to block all the shuriken, then immediately disappeared when Akira would have run into it. His eyes squinted, his eyebrows curled, and his teeth were gnashed and bared.

"Ninpou: ukihashi no jutsu!!" (Ninja arts: floating bridge technique)

Below his feet dust and dirt began to gather, giving him a stable surface to run upon. His descent was nearly vertical, but this temporary ground gave him ground to run upon, and his speed increased as he neared his attackers. His hand reached into his shirt, and he pulled out two kunai, giving a shout of battle.

"Kill him!" shouted the darker figure. "Kill him!!" The five guards lifted their spears and prepared for the attack, but by that time Akira's speed was too great. With a flash he sped and leapt onto the ground, running between the two guards closest to him. A clash of steel sounded, and two sprays of blood followed him as he whisked past them, the two guards falling limply to the ground. The other three guards had no time at all to react; in an instant Akira was upon all three of them, slashing them with his kunai, knocking their lifeless bodies several feet back. Akira then turned his aim on the darker figure, who likewise was bearing a kunai in both hands. A forehead protector with the symbol of the Three Mountains was upon his head, but unlike the other ninja from before, he was not wearing a mask.

His features became more noticeable as Akira sped towards him. Slender and strong was his body, dressed in the same dark garb as the others at Dakatsu's Domain. Long brown hair covered his head spiked up in all directions. His eyes were dark, evil, and full of malice, scars surrounding them as souvenirs of many intense battles. His nose was crooked, looking to have been broken in the past and healed without proper setting, and his mouth was set in an awful, cruel grin. He had the appearance of wicked pleasure, as if he was lusting after the opportunity to battle Akira.

The first strike was swift, and Akira lunged at the ninja at full speed slashing at him with both kunai, twisting in midair and dealing two quick strikes as he sailed past him. All attacks were met, however, and the ninja escaped without a scratch. Akira landed and turned quickly, only to find the ninja still standing in the same place, his face still contorted in that awful grin.

"I can tell already who you are," said the ninja in a high-pitched male voice. "I am pleased to be able to fight with you, Kankokage-sama."

"Who are you people!?" shouted Akira. "Why are you attacking us? Why the hell have you come here?!"

"Honestly, there is no need for you to know, since you will be dying here," answered the ninja. "Believe me, if you want to live, flee this village now."

"Never!" shouted Akira in his rage. "I will never abandon my people!"

"You just don't understand, do you?" mocked the ninja. "I cannot believe that Araiguma thought you would be a good choice as leader of this new village. It is better that he is dead – Dakatsu is a much better king. At least he has some judgment of character worthy of nobility."

"How dare you speak such things of Araiguma-sama!" shouted Akira, his rage increasing with every second. "You foreign ninja have no place here! Get out, or I will…"

"Or you will what, kill me?" laughed the ninja. Around them the sounds of battle began to die down, though the light from the flames continued to cast eerie shadows around them.

"You do not fear death?" asked Akira.

"I have faced death more than you could possibly imagine," replied the ninja. "Death has no sway upon me, and I am now convinced the only enemy I need to fear is old age."

"You are mistaken," said Akira, his voice getting calmer. "No worse enemy exists than a man set to protect those he loves." The Ring of Water upon his right index finger now began to glow along with the Ring of Earth, and Akira felt the chakra flooding his body to the point of pain. "No worse enemy is there in the world." Akira then closed his eyes, and brought his hands together in a flurry of signs, keeping his hands held in the last (ram).

"Ninpou: dakasui!" (Ninja art: muddy water)

"Muddy water?" laughed the ninja. "Muddy water?! Ha!" Akira smiled, opened his eyes, and looked towards the ninja.

"You days are over," he said softly. The ninja then glared menacingly, and began to charge at Akira, drawing a long, wavy katana from a sheath on his back.

"Gaaah!" screamed the ninja, and he slashed at Akira. THUD!

The ninja stared in shock as his sword embedded into a slab of mud between him and Akira. Akira made no move, but rather continue to smile and gaze upon his attacker.

"Give up, and I may spare your life in exchange for information," said Akira calmly. The ninja gritted his teeth, gave another war cry, and slashed again and again at Akira, only to have each blow deflected by the mud.

"Pitiful," growled the ninja. "You are nothing special. Gaara of the Sand uses the same technique. You are merely a copycat like Kakashi Hatake!"

"I am nothing compared to Kakashi, nor Gaara," replied Akira. "But I can assure you, my moves are original."

"Pointless conversation," muttered the ninja, he too now smiling, his eyes wide and the veins upon his temples bulging. "But you do have some skill after all. It is too bad; you would have made a grand member of my organization." Akira's confidence shook, and his smile faded. Before him, the ninja began to change.

"You think you have skill enough to beat me?!" shouted the ninja, his body increasing in size and his limbs becoming misshapen. "You will die here, you weakling!!" Gone were the human features of the ninja; the only human aspect of what stood before Akira was two arms, two legs, and a head.

"Ninpou," growled the creature. "Kuma hengen!" (Ninja art: bear transformation)  
The creature let out a roar as it stepped towards Akira. It now stood at least eight feet in height, and was covered in a dark, ratty fur. The ninja's face was still partly recognizable, only now two-inch fangs protruded out of his mouth, and his eyes were wide and bloodshot. Huge claws protruded out from his fingers, still wrapped around the wavy katana.

"Now that you've seen this form," growled the bear-ninja. "I cannot let you live. Die!!" The bear-ninja began to charge at Akira, growling and shouting with a blood-curdling roar.

Akira made his move quickly; from a spray of brown water directly in front of him a spear of hard, dense mud shot out as a spear at the bear-ninja, who read the attack well, moving quickly from side to side, chopping of pieces of the spear with every step.

"Not good enough!" chided the bear-ninja as he reached striking distance to Akira, who leapt backwards into the air as the bear-ninja's sword slashed at him. The bear-ninja leapt into the air after him, continually cutting and chopping away the mud spear. Akira landed against and jumped off from a wall behind him, temporarily opening a blind spot for attack. Another mud spear raced towards the bear-ninja's back, but again he read it.

"Again, muddy water?" laughed the bear-ninja, who likewise jumped off the wall, following Akira's path. Akira had landed at this point and was on the ground facing the airborne bear-ninja, his hands still making the sign of "ram".

"It is unwise for you continue to fight," said Akira. "Give up."

"Ha!" laughed the bear-ninja, and he raised his sword to cut Akira down while racing towards him in the air. "Gaaaah…!"

"Iwakanketsusen!" said Akira. (Rocky geyser)

The ground below the bear-ninja exploded in a spray of water and rock, knocking him high into the air from the sheer force. Higher and higher the sprays rose, and larger and larger became the rocks sent skyward. Above the bear-ninja jumped from rock to rock, and looked as though he would be able to weather the attack.

"Looks like you missed!" shouted the bear ninja, and he descended rapidly towards

Akira, his sword again raised to cut him down. Akira, however, was ready for him.

"Mizukata! Kaiyo katana!" (Water style: ocean blades)

A hissing noise sounded and several streams of water shot out of the rocky geyser and sped like lightning at the bear-ninja.

"What?!" cried the bear-ninja. He attempted to dodge, but the streams were too fast. His sword was knocked out of his hands, and two streams connected with his chest, sending him flying at the wall of a building opposite the geyser. With a crash and a great could of dust the bear-ninja flew into the wall, and for a moment the scene was quiet. Akira released a heavy breath, and released his hands from the sign of ram.

"That was intense," he said quietly, brushing off the dust from his shoulders. Before him the dust began to settle around the bear-ninja's crash site, and upon looking at it Akira again felt his muscles tense up.

"That was good," said a low, rumbling voice from the debris. The bear-ninja stood ahead of Akira, clasping his right arm. "I'll hand it to you, that was really good. You have considerable skill with ninjutsu, just like Master Dakatsu said. I didn't believe him at first; I thought those things he said couldn't possibly be true. But here we are."

"Before I kill you, at least tell me your name," said Akira. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his breath was short and quick. "Let me know the name of the family to whom I should send my apologies."

"Again with this "give up" thing," said the bear-ninja exasperatingly. "Fine. I guess it doesn't matter anyway, since you'll be dead in thirty seconds. My name is Shirokuma Mitzigami. I am proud to the one to take your life, Kankokage-sama. Truly, it is an honor I could only wish my brethren could enjoy with me."

"I am glad you feel that way," said Akira. "But you will not succeed." Akira then brought his hands together again, but now in the sign of a cross with his index and middle fingers.

"Tsumari taijutsu!" shouted Shirokuma. "Kuma horetsu!" (Ultimate taijutsu: bear barrage)

Shirokuma let out a roar and charged at Akira with speed hitherto unseen from the bear-ninja. In a flash he reached Akira, who looked at him fearfully as he had nowhere to run. Shirokuma began ripping Akira apart with repeated slashes from his claws, blood spurting and spraying out with each swipe. After only a couple of seconds of this barrage of murderous intent, Akira's body fell backwards onto the ground, blood pouring out of his wounds like a fountain. Above, Shirokuma grew a huge, horrid grin and his eyes widened in excitement.

"I did it!" he bellowed. "I killed the Kankokage! Ha ha ha ha! You were wrong, Tetsuma! You were wrong!!"

"I'm sorry?" asked a voice behind him. "Who killed who now?" Shirokuma turned to see Akira standing behind him, not a scratch on his body. He then turned again to see a pile of muddy dirt on the ground, with smaller streaks of mud on the ground where Akira's blood had been.

"Substitution?" asked Shirokuma in horror. "But when? I would have seen it!"

"This is the end for you," said Akira, making a series of signs with his hands. "Ninpou: tachiuchidoro." (Ninja art: mud sword cross)

"No…" said Shirokuma, recoiling.

"Kankokage-sama! Stop!"

Akira stopped. The voice he had heard was that of Tonbo, his most trusted ninja.

"Tonbo, what are you doing?" shouted Akira angrily, turning his head towards Tonbo's voice. "This man is trying to destroy our village!"

"No, Kankokage-sama," replied Tonbo, standing on a rooftop above him a few yards away. "Those who were revolting against the king's guards became violent, and things got out of hand as you can see."

"Tonbo, what are you saying?" asked Akira, aghast at what he was hearing.

"Kyodaimokin saw it! Our ninja were fighting against the guards!"

"And those ninja have been killed for their disobedience," continued Tonbo. Akira's heart sank.

"No, Tonbo, no!" shouted Akira, tears beginning to streak down his cheek. "What are you saying? This is crazy!!"

"You will not kill Shirokuma," demanded Tonbo, his voice now changing from mild to angry. "He is here to ensure the will of the king, and the glory of the Brine Country."

"Glory?" asked Akira incredulously. "You think that going to war against the mighty Raikage and the Country of Lightning constitutes any measure of glory?"

"I'm sorry, my friend," said Tonbo, his voice now low and sullen. "But you are now an enemy to the king, Lord Dakatsu. You will now be put to death for treason against his majesty's grand vision."

"Tonbo…?" Behind Akira, Shirokuma began to chuckle.

"I told you, didn't I?" he said. "You do not understand."

"What have you done to him?" asked Akira through tears. "What have you done to Tonbo!?"

"Enough words," said Shirokuma, picking up his sword. He had reverted back to his human state, though his clothes seemed torn and stretched. Shirokuma walked up to Akira, who now stood motionless, his face contorted with sorrow, tears coursing down his cheeks like two rivers.

"Why is this happening?" he asked quietly. Shirokuma simply smirked.

"For treason…" He then raised his sword over his shoulder, and swung at Akira's neck.

"What?"

Just when Shirokuma thought he had struck Akira's neck, his sword passed through empty air.

"What happened?" asked Tonbo. "Where did he go?" Shirokuma didn't reply, but instead directed his gaze towards the dark sky above, the stars twinkling heavily through the pillars of smoke.

"Damn it," muttered Shirokuma, and he put his sword back in his hilt, turned around, and walked slowly into the shadows. "Let's go," he commanded, and Tonbo and the other ninja leapt from their vantage points and followed.

"That was too close," said Akira, lying against the neck of Kyodaimokin, gasping for breath. The Three Mountain village was now behind them as the two flew south over the pine forest.

"I am sorry," replied Kyodaimokin calmly in her smooth, feminine voice. "That rock they threw at me hurt." Ahead of them sat the great Salty Desert, a hundred miles of salt-encrusted flats, once the bed of an ancient saltwater lake that covered most of the Brine Country. Past this desert lay the borders of the Demon Country, and beyond that lay several more smaller countries followed by the sea to the west. Across this sea rested the Country of Lightning, one of the Five Great Powers, and Dakatsu's target.

"So now you are an exile," observed Kyodaimokin. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know," replied Akira. "I fear that letting the Raikage know of the battle will only make things worse. If he discovers that I, the supposed great Kankokage couldn't stop Dakatsu, a mere man with no shinobi training…"

"He probably wouldn't even take you seriously," said Kyodaimokin. "I wonder what Gamabunta would say?"

"Gamabunta?" wondered Akira aloud. "The boss toad? Good luck finding him around here. He spends most his time in the Fire Country…" Akira stopped in thought.

"Akira?"

"We must fly to Konoha!"

"Konoha?" asked Kyodaimokin. "That will take days!"

"Then we'll take days!" countered Akira. "If we hurry, we could enlist the aid of Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage before Dakatsu's followers even reach the sea!"

"But why would she help you?" asked Kyodaimokin.

"Lady Tsunade traveled to our country many years ago, before I was born," he answered.

"She was a notoriously bad gambler, and lodged herself into an enormous debt with Araiguma, the former king – a debt, which I might add, has not been paid off."

"Let us hope that she agrees in order to prevent a war, and not just to square the deal," said Kyodaimokin.

"Whatever," replied Akira. "Now please, fly hard."

**New for Saturday, 9/20/08: CHAPTER 4: TSUNADE'S HANDICAP, PAST MISTAKES, AND HINATA'S UNEXPECTED MOVE!**  
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	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: TSUNADE'S HANDICAP, PAST MISTAKES, AND HINATA'S UNEXPECTED MOVE

**CHAPTER 4: TSUNADE'S HANDICAP, PAST MISTAKES, AND HINATA'S UNEXPECTED MOVE!**

It was a rather cool day in Konoha, with plenty of clouds intermingled with sunshine. Below in the village life went on as normal; finally the fervor of the intense and exciting Chuunin exams had faded, and peaceful was the atmosphere within every corner of the village. Here, in a quiet section of the village, Shikamaru Nara was standing quietly in a cemetery looking down at a particular grave. He wasn't crying, nor even holding anything back, just gazing down at the marker.

"Asuma…" he muttered almost inaudibly. Shikamaru closed his eyes. He remembered when he had first met Asuma when he was a brand new genin. An imposing and sometimes fearful-looking man, Shikamaru was at first afraid of him, and did everything in his power to keep it from showing. But as time drew on, and Shikamaru became closer and closer to him, Asuma-sensei became his hero.

"Are you proud of me?" whispered Shikamaru. For some reason this question struck a chord inside of him, and a lump began to well up in his throat. "Damn it," he whispered angrily, and he wiped a reluctant tear from his eye with his sleeve.

"Hey Shika," said a young woman from behind him. Shikamaru did not turn around; he knew who was there. Instead he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, getting surprised at how difficult it was all of the sudden. The young woman sidled up next to him, her hip touching his, and she grasped his hand working her fingers between his.

"Hey Temari," replied Shikamaru. "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago," she replied, she too now gazing down at Asuma's grave. "I figured you would be here."

"You'd think I'd be able to get over this by now," Shikamaru said quietly. "But here I am, with all this time passed, and I can't help but come down here every day I'm in town."

"I'm just surprised you're still such a crybaby," said Temari, closing her eyes with a smile.

"Man, do you always have to be this way?" asked Shikamaru, annoyed at the treatment he so often received.

"Yes," she replied. "You should be grateful that I take such good care of you."

"Women are such a pain," said Shikamaru with a heavy sigh, turning his gaze to the clouds floating up above, at which point Temari jabbed him with her elbow. "Stop it!" he demanded through a ticklish laugh.

"Shikamaru," said another voice from behind them, this belonging to Chouji, looking nice and full in his Akimichi warrior garb.

"Hey, Chouji!" said Shikamaru. "What's up man?"

"Tsunade needs to see you right away."

"How troublesome," muttered Shikamaru, turning back towards the grave. "Just when Temari got here, just when I was starting to feel a little better, she has to call for me. What a pain."

"Don't worry, I'll be around for a little while," said Temari, who then kissed his cheek and starting walking towards Chouji and the exit of the cemetery. "You'd better get going, Shika. You don't want to make Hokage-sama mad; she might put you on gate duty." Shikamau shuddered at the thought. Gate duty was in fact the worst job a ninja could do, and knowing Tsunade, that would be just the thing she would do.

"Fine, I'll go," he replied. "Dumplings later?"

"Sure!" replied Temari with a beaming smile.

"Me too!" said Chouji excitedly.

"Chouji, this is a date," said Shikamaru placing his hand on his forehead.

"I could bring Ino," Chouji said quietly. "Would it be okay then?"

"Good luck," answered Shikamaru. "Tell you what: if you can get Ino to go with you, feel free to join us."

"Serious?" asked Chouji with a huge smile and air of inspiration. "Sweet! Dump-lings! Dump-lings!" Chouji continued this chant as he turned and walked out of the cemetery, leaving Shikamaru and Temari alone.

"I may not have thought this through well," said Shikamaru after a moment.

"Relax, we'll be fine," said Temari.

"Why are you here again?"

"I never told you, but I am pretty sure that what I'm here for is the same thing for which Tsunade wants you. Who knows, maybe we'll be sent out on a mission together?"

"Not likely," replied Shikamaru nonchalantly, yawing and stretching. "All right, let's go see the Hokage."

The third training field had its first visitors in a while, since before the Chuunin Exam. Ever since Naruto had returned to Konoha with Jiraiya a couple years before, he had come to this place often to train and meditate. Today, however, he was here strictly on business.

--

"Ducks!" he shouted gleefully. "I'm gonna catch one, Sakura-chan! Watch!" Near the river was collected a large amount of birds and waterfowl, all enjoying the cool water.

"Naruto…" said Sakura slowly as he ran headlong at the flock. "Those are geese." Ahead of her, Naruto was foiled in attempt to grab a goose, resulting in him receiving a barrage of goose bites.

"Ow! What gives?!" he shouted, swinging his arms at the geese and missing terribly.

"You know," she said frustratingly. "Sometimes I wonder if you ever grown up at all, Naruto."

"What are you talking about, Sakura?" asked Naruto, looking back at her with a quizzical look. "I've grown plenty these last few years. See?" Naruto flexed his arms, revealing his fairly well-toned muscles.

"You are such a little kid!" shouted Sakura. "Now get back here! NOW!" Naruto did not hesitate to return immediately.

"S-s-sorry, Sakura," he said with a forced smile.

"Just try to act a little more mature, okay?" demanded Sakura.

"Why is Kakashi-sensei always so late?!" complained Naruto. He wasn't wrong in doing so; while Kakashi had always been late in the past, nowadays it was much, much worse, and both of them had a feeling as to why: Anko. Naruto and Sakura walked up to and sat next to the river, watching it flow as the time went by.

"He's always hanging around with her," sighed Sakura. "She must think he's so annoying by now."

"But Anko is pretty…" said Naruto, beginning to daydream. Sakura felt like punishing him for that statement, but she held back. At the same time, neither noticed the girl with purple coat and solid, bluish-white eyes sneaking around the wooden posts behind them, occasionally peeking out to see what was happening.

"I don't think he's coming," said Naruto after a while of thus sitting. "I figure if he wanted to meet with us here in the morning that badly, he would have come by now. Come on, Sakura-chan. Let's go."

"Yeah, let's go," she replied, and she stood and walked past Naruto – neither having noticed the geese that had waddled up next to him on his side opposite of where Sakura was sitting. As she walked past him, one of the geese thought she was too close, and went in for the attack. SNAP!

Sakura stopped. Did what she think had happened really happen? Did Naruto really just do what that felt like? Sakura slowly turned her head around, only to see Naruto looking out across the water with a couple of geese next to him, all apparently sleeping. It had to have been him. _He is going to die, right NOW!_

"Sakura-chan, what are you…?" asked Naruto as he turned to see Sakura looking very much like a demon.

"NARUTO!" she screamed, causing the flock of birds to take flight. Without another word, she punched him right in the face with fearsome power. Naruto was sent sailing across the river, blood trailing out of his mouth and nose, and landed in a heap several yards away from the far side of the riverbank. Naruto struggled to get up; Sakura had never hit him this hard before, and every inch of his face was screaming in pain.

"S-Sakura…?" mumbled Naruto through the blood in his mouth. Sakura leapt over the river in one jump, landing next to him. She grabbed him by the collar and picked up his limp body, holding his face just below hers. Her eyes seemed like they were on fire, and Naruto began to fear for his life.

"You pinched my butt, didn't you?" she said maliciously. "You are so going to die!"

"No, Sakura! I didn't…" Naruto began to plead, but Sakura wasn't listening. Her fist raised behind her, she was ready to land the final blow. A bead of sweat formed on Naruto's temple, and his eyes were wide in horror. What happened next, however, was so unbelievable that Naruto nearly passed out in shock.

It all happened so quickly, yet to Naruto it seemed like slow motion. Sakura's fist began moving towards him, the green envelope of chakra around her fist pulsating with her anger. Closer and closer it came to his face, but suddenly things changed. Another person intervened.

A girl in a purple coat grabbed Sakura's arm just as it was about to connect with the bridge of Naruto's nose. She then pushed Sakura's arm down, and with one motion her other arm knocked Sakura up into the air.

_What the…? _thought Sakura. She tumbled around while flying up and then down through the air, giving her just enough time to see who had attacked her. _Hinata?!_

"Jyuuken, konjohira!" (gentle fist, spirit palm)

The palm of Hinata's hand connected square with Sakura's chest, and with a frightening release of chakra Hinata knocked Sakura just about as far away as Naruto had been earlier. Sakura landed and rolled with a painful crash, her last image recorded being that of Hinata, her arm still extended from the blow, her byakugan veins pulsating, and her chest heaving in deep breaths through her mouth.

"H-Hin-at-a…" gasped Sakura, and with that she fell unconscious.

Naruto's breathing was short and quick. _What the hell just happened?_

"Hi, hi," said a voice from the direction of the river. Kakashi had just arrived, and was giving his usual wave and smile (though his mask) "Sorry I'm late. I came across not one, not two, but three old ladies in distress, and…" Kakashi stopped speaking as he saw Sakura lying unconscious on the ground, with Hinata still in her attack position. Naruto hadn't even noticed Kakashi's arrival, instead sitting with his mouth wide open as he stared at Hinata, then Sakura, and back to Hinata again.

"How fortunate," said Kakashi. These words didn't seem right, and Naruto's attention was finally captured.

"Fortunate?" asked Naruto.

"Yes, you see, I was just coming by to tell you that our mission has been cancelled."

"Mission? That's why we had to come here? But what about Sai?"

"Sai is on a mission with Ino Yamanaka and some of the new genins," replied Kakashi effortlessly as he looked again over to Sakura. "I'm wondering: what happened here?"

"Sakura unfairly attacked Naruto for something he didn't do," replied Hinata without a shred of hesitance, further shocking Naruto. "So I stopped her from killing him."

"Kill?" asked Kakashi. "Sakura was going to kill you, Naruto? And you were just going to let her?"

"But I didn't know what was going on!" replied Naruto hastily. "I was just sitting there watching the water when she hit me, then she said I grabbed her butt. I didn't have any time to think!"

"A ninja must think even when there is no time to think," said Kakashi coolly. "Sasuke was the very best at that, and Lee is getting there too. You and Sakura still have problems with that, but I guess I can't complain really. After all, you are both Chuunin now."

"Um, sensei?"

"Yes?" replied Kakashi, now turning his lazy gaze to Naruto.

"Shouldn't we take Sakura to the hospital? Hinata hit her pretty hard."

"I suppose we should," he replied. "Unless you had more you wanted to do to her, Hinata?" Hinata's comportment changed suddenly, and she released her battle stance.

"Um…um…" she stammered, looking down and grabbing the hem of her collar while her cheeks turned red. "Naruto is right. I think we should take her to the hospital too."  
Kakashi then walked over to Sakura, and after a brief examination picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and the three sped away through the trees back to the village.

"By the way," said Kakashi as they sped through the forest. "You should go see the Hokage. She was asking for you earlier."

"But what about Sakura?" asked Naruto, causing Hinata to feel awful.

"I'll take care of her," he replied. "You can come visit her later."

"Dang it," muttered Naruto, and he took off in a perpendicular direction, disappearing from Kakashi and Hinata's view.

_Naruto-kun…I'm sorry!_

--

The repetitive beep of the heart machine met Sakura as her eyes slowly opened. Inside of her felt like a raging fire, and it hurt to breathe.

"W-what h-happened?" she muttered in a barely audible whisper. "N-Naruto?"

"I-I'm glad you are finally awake, Sakura-san," sheepishly said Hinata, sitting on a chair next to her bed.

"Hinata?" asked Sakura sleepily. "Why are you here?"

"I, uh.." she stammered. "I'm…I'm the one who put you here."

"What are you talking about?" asked Sakura, attempting to sit up in the hospital bed.

"You were hurting Naruto," continued Hinata sheepishly. "And I stopped you. I'm so sorry – I went too far." Suddenly Sakura remembered being thrown in the air, followed by a strike stronger than anything she had felt in a long, long time.

"But why did you stop me?"

"You thought Naruto had…" continued Hinata, her face turning pink. "You thought he had… that he…"

"Pinched my butt?" asked Sakura, and Hinata's pink glow turned deep red.

"But he didn't," she replied. "He didn't do that to you. A goose did."

"What?" asked Sakura, somewhat in shock. She held up her hand and stared. "I almost killed Naruto for something like that? What was I even thinking?"

"I'm…I'm sorry!" said Hinata again, looking straight down at the floor in an attempt to hide her shame.

"No, Hinata," said Sakura quietly. "You did the right thing. I was wrong, and if you hadn't been there, I might have killed him. I guess my inner self lost control…"

"Please don't hurt Naruto," said Hinata quietly, still looking down, her crimson cheeks now blemished with a single tear.

"Hinata…?" asked Sakura.

"I've never told anyone besides Kiba about it," said Hinata quietly. "But I just don't have the courage to do anything about it besides watching him."

"What are you talking about, Hinata?" asked Sakura, becoming confused at Hinata's words.

"I…" Hinata began slowly, but she was cut off by the nurse who appeared at the door.

"Sakura-san, are you feeling better?" asked the nurse.

"Yeah, a little," she replied.

"Hokage-sama has asked for you," continued the nurse. "And you as well, Hinata-hime. If you feel well enough to move, you should get going."

"Yes," answered Sakura, and the nurse left the room. "Hinata, let's go."

"O-okay…" said Hinata quietly, helping Sakura out of bed, and together the two exited the room.

--

"Who is this 'Kankokage'?" asked Shizune as she stood next to Tsunade's chair, holding Ton Ton as she usually did. "I thought there were only five kages?"

"That is what is preached, but," said Tsunade from her chair, a bottle of sake in her hand.

"Truthfully there are seven kages. Hoshikage from the Star village, and Kankokage from the Three Mountain village of the Brine Country are technically kages, but the five great nations do not recognize them."

"Do we recognize them?" asked Shizune. Tsunade took a small sip of sake, wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and gave a small smile.

"Hoshikage, not really," she answered. "Since the star was destroyed, they've had to make some severe adjustments, and their ninja program is very, very small. Kankokage though…the others don't recognize him, but I can't help myself." Tsunade looked up as if daydreaming, but Shizune was satisfied.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "What is so special about him? If the other kages don't recognize him…?"

"In all my years, and in all my acquaintances," started Tsunade with an air of reflection.

"I've only fallen in love with two men. One was a ninja here in this village when I was young. The other was Mikuya Sugiyama, the present Kankokage's father." Shizune was taken aback; Tsunade had never divulged such personal details about herself before, no matter the amount of sake involved. This must be quite the guy, thought Shizune.

"But this is his son…"

"And his son looks just like him," continued Tsunade. "I saw him briefly a few months ago when I traveled to the Demon Country to meet with Priestess Shion. He was there on business, but…" Tsundae stopped again in memory.

"What is it, Hokage-sama?"

"It makes me think, that's all. I know he's too young, but…" Tsundae grinned and closed her eyes. Shizune, on the other hand, began to get upset.

"Tsunade-sama!" shouted Shizune angrily. "That's not becoming of the Hokage!"

"You'll get to meet him yourself, you know," replied Tsunade wryly. "I am quite sure you will understand what I'm talking about."

"I will not!" countered Shizune. Tsunade laughed politely, and pulled out a piece of paper and a quill.

"Care to make a bet on it?" she asked. Shizune looked down at the paper horrified for a moment, but quickly changed it too false shock. _She is gambling on this? That must mean…!_ Shizune gained a little bit of confidence, and nodded her head.

"Very well," answered Shizune. "I'll take your bet. If I blush when I meet him, you will win."

"One thousand ryou!" chimed Tsunade gleefully. "It's a bet!"

_One thousand?_ thought Shizune sadly. _After all these years, I thought finally I had reached her and broken her of her habits, but…_

A loud knock on the door of Tsunade's office disrupted Shizune's train of thought, and she quickly collected herself and opened the door.

"Hey, Old Lady!" greeted Naruto with a big smile. "You called for me? Do you have a new mission for me?"

"Actually, yes, I do," answered Tsunade.

"Yes!" cheered Naruto. "What is it? What is it? Do I get to lead a team? Do I get to train new genin on the battlefield? Just name it, I'll do it!"

"You will find out soon enough, just be patient."

Naruto's excitement peaked at these words._ I'm finally gonna have a team! Team Naruto! No, Team Uzumaki! No no no, Team Rasengan!_

"Man, he's gotta be here too?" said Shikamaru from the doorway, Temari standing behind him and peeking around. Naruto felt annoyed; it seemed like everyone had some smart-ass remark about him, especially when on the same team.

"Sorry Shika," said Naruto proudly. "I'm finally getting a team of my own!"

"I never said that," said Tsunade. "You still don't listen, do you?"

"But…but…!" stammered Naruto. "But I'm a chuunin now! Doesn't that mean I get my own team?"

"Sakura and Ino have been chuunin now for quite some time, and neither of them has led a team," she replied. "And besides, you just became a chuunin. You have to receive further leadership training first."

"But Shikamaru led a team right after he became one!"

"That was different," replied Shizune. "We were short on higher-ranked ninja, and we made a difficult choice. Now we have many ninja at our disposal, so we can do things more deliberately." Naruto scowled and turned away.

"This is so lame," he muttered. At that same moment Hinata walked into the room supporting Sakura with her shoulder, Sakura still showing several bumps and scrapes from Hinata's attack. "Hinata! Sakura-chan!" exclaimed Naruto.

"Naruto-kun!" exclaimed Hinata in her typical quiet voice.

"Naruto, you're here too?" asked Sakura, still having a little trouble walking on her own.

"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Naruto said walking up to her. Up close Sakura looked even worse; whatever Hinata had done to her really messed her up.

"I'll be fine," she answered with a small smile. "I'm a medical ninja, after all. Time is all it needs to heal. And by the way…" Sakura lowered her voice and looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry I hit you. Hinata told me what really happened." Naruto was a bit shocked; in all his time having known her, this was the first time he could remember when Sakura actually apologized for hitting him, including the times when it was obvious he had done nothing wrong.

"I've gathered you all here to assign you to a new mission, A-rank, possibly S-rank," said Tsunade in a professional tone. "We received word by an osprey of the Country of Brine that there is considerable trouble brewing."

"S-rank?" asked Shikamaru. "Country of Brine? I don't even know where that troublesome-sounding place is."

"The Country of Brine lies to the north of the Demon Country," continued Tsunade. Naruto's mind twitched at the mentioning of the word "Demon", but he could not think of why. "They are a relatively poor country, but several months ago a new ninja village was founded there, the Village of the Three Mountains. Their leader, a man known as the Kankokage, was recently exiled from this village by a group of unknown ninja assailants, apparently under the direction of the country's feudal lord, Dakatsu Tetsuwan, the heir of Araiguma Tetsuwan, his former king and cousin."

"So what is our mission?" asked Sakura.

"I'm not really sure," answered Tsunade. "Kankokage-sama did not specify what exactly he was requesting of us, but that he would give us an offer we could not turn down as soon as he arrived."

"He's coming here?" asked Naruto. Just then, another knock came to the door.

"Come in!" commanded Tsunade, and the door creaked open. Sakura and Hinata both turned and looked, and instantly both were blushing. Shizune did everything she could not to think about the visage of masculine beauty before her in the doorway. _Damn, _

_Tsunade is going to win the bet! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!_

"I apologize for being late, most noble Hokage-sama," said Akira Sugiyama, bowing his head to Tsunade.

"Kankokage-sama," replied Tsunade, likewise bowing her head. "I'm glad you made the long journey safely. Now, what do you request from us?"

**New for Wednesday, 9/24/08: CHAPTER 5: SHIZUNE'S GREATEST CHALLENGE! – HINATA'S SECRET – TEAM SHIKAMARU SETS OUT!**


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: SHIZUNE'S GREATEST CHALLENGE! – HINATA'S SECRET – TEAM SHIKAMARU SETS OUT!**

Shizune was squirming, wriggling, and doing everything she possibly could to not blush, but she could feel it coming on. Before her in the doorway stood Akira Sugiyama, easily the most attractive man she had ever seen, and Tsunade sat at her desk with a huge mischievous grin.

"U-um…" stammered Shizune, "May I be excused for a moment?"

"Why…? Tsunade started to ask, but before she could continue Shizune bolted straight for the door, causing Akira to jump back a couple feet to prevent from being run over. Shizune continued her flight down the hall until she was sure she was out of earshot from Tsunade's office. She then stopped, the light from the window in front of her illuminating her body against the shadows she cast upon the wall.

"Damn it!" she cursed, her face now a full blown red, her eyes closed tight and her fists clenched. "That was too close, I almost lost it in there…" she stopped for a moment, and stood silently and motionless. Suddenly her countenance changed, and her mood was completely different.

"He's so beautiful!" she chimed, her eyes glistening. "He's the most beautiful, handsome, incredible man I've ever seen! Ohhhh! I'm in love!!" Shizune then began to giggle childishly like a schoolgirl.

"Looks like I won."

Shizune stopped giggling immediately, her gleeful expression turning immediately to horror. Right outside the window was Tsunade, hanging upside-down from the ledge just above. She was still wearing the same mischievous grin as before, only that now it was much more pronounced.

"T-Tsunade-sama?!" shrieked Shizune, recoiling, stumbling, and falling to the ground.

"That will be 1,000 ryou, please," said Tsunade. "Now, won't you please come back to my office?" Shizune was still in shock, her eyes open as wide as they could go, her hands held in front of her in defense.

"Uh…uh…?!" stammered Shizune.

"GET BACK IN HERE!" shouted Tsunade. Shizune leapt to her feet and charged back towards Tsunade's office, screaming the entire way. She then burst back in to the office, taking her place at Tsunade's side, albeit now with much more sweat running down her face.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Shizune as realistically as she could. "I had a...uh...um...a sneezing attack! Yeah! And I...uh...I didn't want to distract you...um...yeah!" Akira looked over at her briefly, at which point she began to feel light-headed, but then went right back to Tsunade, filling Shizune with sorrow.

"Hokage-sama, hear my plight," started Akira in a smooth, attractive voice, and everyone's ears and eyes turned towards him – except for Shizune, who had begun to imperceptibly giggle again.

"Three days ago my home, the Village of the Three Mountains, was attacked by a group of ninja hired by our feudal lord Dakatsu. This much I have told you in the letter I sent, though there is much more to this story than I felt safe in sending you earlier. Dakatsu intends to use this group of ninja, in addition to my own, to start a war with the Country of Lightning."

"How many ninja are in this group?" asked Tsunade.

"Eleven for sure," he replied. "Their identities were hidden, except for the one I battle in my village. He said his name was Shirokuma Mitzigami, a name I am not familiar with." Tsunade looked down at her desk while supporting her chin with her knuckles.

"Mitzigami…" she muttered. "Shizune! Do we have any records of the clan 'Mitzigami'?" Shizune began to fumble around a few books and stacks of paper, and not long after she placed a book before Tsunade.

"The Mitzigami clan lived near the borders of the Fire Country and the Rice Field Country," said Shizune. "They were fierce rivals to the Inuzuka clan, and practiced Beast Techniques among their ninja, but…"

"Inuzuka?" asked Tsunade.

"Kiba's clan," muttered Shikamaru.

"But they were destroyed fifteen years ago," continued Shizune. "After a conflict arose between the Inuzuka and the Mitzigami regarding their practice of death matches between…" Shizune gulped.

"Death matches?" asked Naruto, recalling Zabuza's story about the Hidden Mist death matches between the genin.

"Death matches between animal companions and their owners," Shizune continued, horror slipping though into her voice. "Whoever won was allowed to steal the powers and abilities of the other though a forbidden Chakra Absorption jutsu, and the Inuzuka sought to end this horrific practice."

"That would explain his techniques," said Akira. "He transformed into some sort of bear-ninja during our battle. His strength was unbelievable."  
It says here that only one body of the Mitzigami clan was unaccounted for after the conflict," continued Shizune. "Shirokuma Mitzigami, a twelve year-old boy at the time, was never found and was presumed dead. That is all that we have on him"

"So the last living member of the Mitzigami clan is a member of this organization," observed Tsunade. "Did you hear any other names?"

"One," answered Akira. "During our battle Shirokuma yelled out the name Tetsuma."

"Tetsuma?!" gasped Tsunade. "Was there a last name?"

"No," replied Akira. Hinata meanwhile began to feel uneasy. She had heard the name Tetsuma often while she was growing up, but her parents said that the boy was dead, having run away from home and having never been seen again.

"I don't know why Dakatsu wants to start a war," continued Akira. "But my country has a long-standing alliance with the Country of Water. My worry is that Dakatsu and this organization are attempting to start a world war, and that they will use their possible defeat by the Country of Lightning as an impetus for the holocaust."

"Possible defeat?" asked Tsunade. "You think that there is a chance that the Raikage and his host of ninja won't be able to destroy this small group?"

"It is not just this group, but also my ninja," he replied.

"How many ninja does your village support?"

"Twenty-seven, though many have probably been killed already," answered Akira.

"Don't be deceived, Hokage-sama. The ninja of my village are strong, especially those of my clan. They are more than enough to give the Raikage plenty of trouble in the very least."

"Ring Ninja," said Tsunade slowly. "I have heard that many ninja villages around the world have tried to recruit ninja of the Sugiyama clan."

"I had always taken comfort in the fact that my clan was loyal to the Brine," said Akira, his voice beginning to become more and more melancholy. "But something has happened. No longer do they hold true to the principles of our clan. It was a surprise to me but when I was exiled, it seemed like my friends were no longer who they once were, like they had been hijacked by some power beyond my knowledge or control."

"You think they were under someone's control?" asked Tsunade.

"I don't know," answered Akira. "But the request that I have for you is to lend me your power in helping me crush these warmongers and restore the honor of the Tetsuwan family. But more than that, I want your help in preserving peace. I cannot do it own my own."

"Very well," answered Tsunade. "I will send these four ninja with you. They will obey your command, and will remain with you until you deem necessary, or they are needed back. This is considered an S-rank mission for them, so the cost will be considerably higher."

"Actually, I was thinking you could do it for free," said Akira nonchalantly. Tsunade's eyes grew dark, and a frown appeared.

"I'm sorry, but rules are rules. Without payment, there will be no services…"

"I'm afraid I have the high ground, Hokage-sama," said Akira, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a piece of paper. "You are currently hold a considerable debt to my country, a debt much higher than the price of this mission I am sure." Tsunade stared in disbelief, and Shizune looked away in shame.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Tsunade quietly.

"Do this mission for free, and I will forgive your debt in its entirety."  
Tsunade pondered the request for a moment, all the while Shizune stared off in another direction as if trying to distance herself from Tsunade's past mistakes.

"On your word, my debt will be forgiven?" asked Tsunade.

"Every last ryou."

"I have no choice then," continued Tsunade. "Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Hyuga, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki will be your companions. Shikamaru will be the leader of the group, and you, Kankokage-sama will be his superior and the director of all actions. However, should you ask my ninja to do something Shikamaru deems unworthy of the mission, all bets are off, and they will return to Konoha. Additionally, if such is the case, my debt will not be reenacted. Understood?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama," answered Akira with a charming voice. "I had no intention of doing any such thing." Every girl in the room began to swoon over Akira's attractive swagger, including Hinata who began arguing in her mind whether Naruto or Akira was better.

"When will be heading out?" asked Sakura, trying her best to keep her composure.

"We will leave just before dawn tomorrow morning," answered Akira. "Until then, get some rest. The journey ahead of us is a long one." Akira then bowed and walked out of the room. A few moments passed, and Tsunade looked out of her window onto the streets below.

"He's gone now," she said once he had entered the street level. All at once the women in the room started screaming in delight.

"Naruto, let's go," said Shikamaru, tugging and dragging Naruto's collar. "We really don't want to be here."

"Oh my gosh!" screamed Sakura hysterically. "He's better than Sasuke! Ohhh!" (Inner Sakura: _Hell yeah! Take a hike, Sasuke, you emotional jerk! Akira's in town! HELLLLL YEAH!_)

"Um… I think you're right," said Naruto, and the two of them darted out of the room as quickly as they could.

--

"Where is Ino?!" grumbled Chouji as he ran out of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. "Where in the world did she go? Ino!" Chouji shouted into the air, but there was no reply.  
Chouji felt dejected; he had so looked forward to dumplings later, and he felt like an idiot for saying he could get Ino to go with him. Not only could he not ask her, he couldn't even find her.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath as he walked toward the main gate of Konoha.

The afternoon sun was sinking further and further into the sky, and Chouji felt like giving up his ambition. "Guess I should just go home, I guess. I don't want to be a bother on Shikamaru and Temari anyway…"

"Chouji?" said a girl's voice in front of him. Chouji had his head down, and hadn't seen who was in front of him.

"Ino?"

"What are you doing walking around at this time of day?" asked Ino. "Shouldn't you be at the barbecue?"

"Where have you been?!" he asked. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Sai and I were out training the new genin," she replied. "I just got back."

"Perfect!" Chouji grabbed Ino by the hand and started running back into town.

"Chouji? What are you doing?" asked a thoroughly confused Ino.

"I'll explain on the way," he answered.

--

Hinata and Sakura walked down the quiet road towards the Hyuga sector of Konoha as the sun was beginning to set, the sky ablaze in reds and oranges signaling the arrival of night. Not a word had been spoken between them since they had left Tsunade's office; Hinata was afraid to say a word to the girl she had hurt so badly earlier, and Sakura was afraid for her life should she put another toe out of line. Regardless they stuck together since leaving the hospital, though neither really knew exactly why.

"Hinata-chan," said Sakura after this long moment of silence. "Back in the hospital, you asked me not to hurt Naruto, mentioning something that you had told Kiba but no one else. What were you talking about?" Hinata did not respond immediately, her face full of sorrow, her eyes staring down at the road before her feet.

"Do you like Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, her gaze unchanging. Sakura was taken aback; of all the questions she could have expected to come out of Hinata's mouth, this was not one of them.

"Well…I…" started Sakura, holding the back of her head and looking away with a goofy, awkward smile. "Naruto-kun is my best friend, and yeah, I like him a lot."

"That is not what I meant," said Hinata. "Are you in love with him?" Sakura again didn't know what to say, but she was pretty sure she knew what was bothering Hinata so much.

"There have been times," said Sakura hesitantly. "I take it you have strong feelings for him?" Hinata gasped looked up and straight ahead of hear, her eyes looking afraid.

"I…I'm sorry!" she stammered.

"No, Hinata…" said Sakura. "I understand now."

"I won't get in your way, I promise!" said Hinata sheepishly, turning away again. Sakura stopped walking, putting a few feet between them. Hinata likewise stopped, but now had her back turned to Sakura.

"Hinata," said Sakura softly. "Naruto understands how I feel inside. He decided years ago that he would help me realize my dreams, even though he was not part of them." Hinata gasped again, though now her eyes were full of surprise.

"W-what do you mean?" asked Hinata. Sakura sighed and walked up to her, putting her hand upon Hinata's shoulder.

"My heart is already given to someone else, someone I fear it will never reach, but someone else nonetheless. Naruto understands this more than anyone else, and no matter how I may have felt about him from one day to the next, he has never once done anything to betray that understanding. Naruto is my best friend, Hinata."

"But why do you hurt him?"

"Because sometimes he can be such an idiot," replied Sakura with a grin. "Boys like that need to have sense pounded into them from time to time." Hinata began to laugh quietly, thinking back at several of Naruto's most infamous blunders, particularly his debacle with the Scent Bug.

"You won't hurt him again like you did earlier today, will you?" asked Hinata after a moment. Sakura again began to feel terrible inside for what she had done before, knowing full well she was completely out of line.

"I promise," she said softly. Hinata turned and faced her, her eyes brimming with tears and smile upon her face.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan," she said. Again they began walking, Hinata's heart feeling much lighter than normal, and her sullen expression was replaced by one of pure contentment. "Such a pretty sunset…" she observed, looking up at the sky.

"You know, Hinata-chan," said Sakura, likewise looking up at the colorful evening.

"Naruto-kun is a real blockhead sometimes. If you want him to know how you feel, you're just going to have to tell him." Hinata immediately stopped, the horror returning to her face.

"Tell…Naruto…?" she gasped. At once she began to feel lightheaded, and before she knew it her mind was spinning out of control until she landed upon the ground.

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura ran over and knelt down. She passed out? Why would she pass out?

--

"We're so glad you could make it!" lied Temari with a fake smile. Shikamaru did absolutely nothing to hide his disappointment, holding his head in his hand and looking off in the distance.

"Yeah, we're really glad," he muttered. Before him sat Ino and Chouji on the other side of the table in the dumpling shop – Chouji was devouring dumpling after dumpling, while Ino was taking a much more conservative approach to her plate.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Ino girlishly. "I'm so glad Chouji invited me to come here with you guys! I feel like it's been forever since I've seen the two of you together."

"That's the way it is, I suppose," said Shikamaru again in his disappointed tone and still gazing off. Chouji meanwhile had ramped up his consumption rate, as well as his noisiness.

"More please!" he called out to the waitress. "More dumplings! Hurry!"

"Slow down, Chouji," scolded Ino. "It is not proper to eat that way in front of a lady."

"Muth Iyo," said Chouji, his face completely stuffed. "Oo arg nut unh yaydee."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" asked Ino in her overly cheerful voice.

"I said," said Chouji after swallowing an abnormally large glob of dumplings. "I said you aren't a lady." Ino's eyes twitched at the words, and Shikamaru perked up for the fist time since they had arrived.

_Why me? Why now?_ he thought.

"Chouji," said Ino sweetly. "You had better have a damn good reason why you say such a thing to me." Ino then violently grabbed Chouji's collar. "Well?! DO YOU?!"

"Of course," said Chouji rather calmly. "You are a kunoichi. Much better than a lady, I would say. Wouldn't you?"

Ino stared intently at Chouji with a murderous look in her blue eyes for several moments, each second bringing Shikamaru closer to actually getting up and fleeing. Temari sat silently as well, anticipating the inevitable destruction of Chouji Akimichi.

"Do you really feel that way?" said Ino in a low growl.

"Of course," replied Chouji. "Not everyone likes a lady, but everyone loves a kunoichi. Right Shika?"

"Uh…" Shikamaru's eyes grew wide. _Damn it, Chouji! This is your mess, not mine! Don't drag me into this!_

"Chouji!" cried Ino, and she lunged forward at Chouji. Shikamaru covered his face, and Temari shielded her eyes. "That was so nice of you!" Shikamaru looked up to see Ino embracing a thoroughly frightened and confused Chouji, looking horrified as he continued taking bites of dumplings.

"That was interesting," said Temari. Ino then released Chouji, now red as his outfit, and turned to Shikamaru.

"By the way, thank you again for offering to buy us dinner tonight," she said brightly. "You really are such a great guy, Shika!"

"What?" asked Shikamaru menacingly, but by then Chouji was already running out of the restaurant.

"It was worth it!" he shouted from the street his voice rapidly fading. "Ha ha ha! It was worth it!"

"I knew I hadn't thought this out enough," he said, looking back down at his plate, ignoring the fact that Temari was cracking up. "Damn it, Chouji. Oh well, you won this round."

--

Naruto was unusually excited for the mission to begin. He woke up an hour before normal, dressed himself, and headed for the main gate long before the prescribed time to meet with the others. He didn't know why he felt so excited; for some reason the name 'Demon Country' stuck out in his mind, and the more he thought of it, the more excited he got to go on this mission. The sky was still darkened when he left his apartment, and all the shops, stores, and restaurants were still closed, except for Ichiraku's.

"Hey! Old Man Ichiraku!" said Naruto as he entered the Ramen shop. "I'd like a miso before I head out."

"You are much earlier than usual, Naruto-kun," said Ichiraku behind the counter. "My daughter hasn't even arrived yet. Did they finally assign you a team like you said they would yesterday?"

"No," grumbled Naruto, turning his head to the side. "But they have given me an S-rank mission, so at least I have that going for me."

"Oh, an S-rank," said Ichiraku as he boiled the noodles. "Sounds dangerous."

"Yeah," said Naruto softly, his mind drifting. This guy is a kage, and Tsunade is sending

me to help him? What kind of ninja was he talking about?

"Here you go, Naruto!" said Ichiraku, pouring the noodles into the bowl of miso soup.

"Idatikimasu!" said Naruto.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Naruto turned to see Akira standing next to him.

"Go ahead," said Naruto, returning to his ramen.

"Your name is Naruto Uzumaki, correct?" asked Akira. Naruto nodded in the affirmative.

"Believe it or not, even the people from the far away Country of Brine have heard of your name."

"Really?" asked Naruto, turning away from his ramen.

"Yes," replied Akira. "The fabled ninja who saved the Priestess Shion and destroyed Mouryou despite her predictions…"

"That's it!" shouted Naruto, standing up. "I remember now! The Demon Country!" Ha ha ha! I made a promise to Shion, but…I can't remember what it was." Naruto sat back down. "I remember Lee and Kakashi having a problem with it, though. That and Sakura couldn't stop cursing."

"Well, I could probably hint you in on that," said Akira with a grin. "You see, Shion-sama and I are friends, and she brags about you even to this day."

"Well, what was it?" asked Naruto, and Akira leaned closer to whisper into his ear so that Ichiraku couldn't hear.

"What?" asked Naruto with an odd look on his face. Akira sighed and whispered again, this time his message much more blunt.

"Do you understand now what she requested?" asked Akira. Naruto did not reply; rather his eyes grew wide and his gaze was fixed and unblinking, his mouth hanging wide open.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Akira after a moment, a chuckle sneaking into his voice.

"S-she…w-w-wanted…t-t-to…h-have…?" stammered Naruto.

"It would be a good idea to do as the priestess says," said Akira with a smile.

"She has an awful temper when she doesn't get everything her way." Naruto still did not respond, and now droplets of saliva were dripping off his lip.

"W-with…me…?"

"Finish up, Naruto," said Akira kindly. "I would like to show you something." Naruto shook his head back into reality, and finished his bowl of ramen.

"Thank you, Ichiraku!" he shouted as he ran off with Akira.  
Akira and Naruto then headed toward the main gate of Konoha, where both guards had fallen asleep at their post.

"You have fantastic help here in Konoha, don't you?" asked Akira sarcastically.

"I never really thought about what went on around here early in the morning," said Naruto, looking over at the dozing ninja. "That looks like a great job for Shikamaru!" Naruto began to laugh, startling one of the guards, but not enough to fully wake him up.

"Naruto," said Akira after a moment. "Would you answer something for me?"

"Um, sure…" replied Naruto. "What do you want?"

"You have the Kyuubi inside of you, don't you?" Naruto was a little shocked; even this man from so far away knew about the Nine-tail.

"Yeah," replied Naruto quietly, a quizzical look upon his face.

"Can you activate its chakra on demand?" asked Akira.

"Yes I can," answered Naruto proudly. "It took me a lot of training, but I finally got it down."

"Do you have the ability to only activate it a little bit, like a trickle of chakra?"

"I've never thought of that," said Naruto, thinking back at all his sage training. "I think I could do it, it doesn't sound very hard."

"Good," said Akira pleasantly. "I knew I would be meeting you when I arrived, and Preistess Shion asked me to give you a gift in her behalf should I meet you before her. And as it so happens, here we are."

"A gift?" asked Naruto. Akira reached into his shirt and pulled out a small, black pouch.

"A very special gift," he replied. "I prepared it myself during my journey here, and I made it just for you. I hope you like it. Here, hold out your hand" Akira opened the pouch and emptied it upon Naruto's hand. It was a ring of silver, a simple band, the head of it molded and shaped into what looked like a Nine-Tailed Fox.

"A ring!" said Naruto. "What does it do?"

"I'm very glad you asked," said Akira with a smile. "I am a Ring Ninja, as are all of my family. Our skills in ring-making has grown and resulted in our being able to store chakra within them."

"You store chakra in the ring?" asked Naruto in amazement, looking down at the ring Akira had given him.

"As you grow accustomed to the ring, chakra will begin to flow into it. It is your job to condition yourself to make sure that the flow is slow, and it is best to conduct this flow while you are asleep or resting."

"Cool!" said Naruto, immediately putting it on his right index finger. "Thank you, Kankokage-sama!"

"Please, call me Akira."

"Thank you, Akira-sama!" Naruto began to giggle as thought of all the amazing powers he would be able to use with this ring, although every one of them was a mere fanciful thought. I wonder if it will make me fly? That would be so cool!!

"Now Naruto," said Akira with caution in his voice. "This is no mere trinket. You must exercise control with it. Don't play it, and when you feel you have control over the flow of chakra into it, NEVER let anyone pull it off."

"Why not?" asked Naruto, looking up at Akira, again with a quizzical look.

"This ring connects itself into your chakra stream," he continued. "It will soon become part of you, just like my rings have become part of me. If you suddenly break that connection, the shock could kill you."

"What?!" asked Naruto in disbelief. "I don't want to die!" Akira laughed and then sighed.

"Don't worry, Naruto," he said consolingly. "As you grow with this ring, you will know how to control it, making it a great asset to your life. It is not something to fear. However, use it wisely; if you overuse it, it will be just like using all of your chakra all at once. You know how that feels, right?"

"Of course I do," said Naruto. "Every time Kakashi-sensei trains me, I have to make thousands of shadow clones. It works really good, but at the end I pass out."

"Kakashi Hatake," mused Akira. "He makes me look like a genin."

"What?" asked Naruto. "You're the Kankokage! You are one of the greatest ninja in the world!"

"Some may say that," replied Akira softly. "But far more people tremble at the mention of his name than mine."

"So what if he's more famous than you?" said Naruto. "To be a kage is the greatest thing a ninja can do!"

"No, that isn't true," said Akira. "But it is a worthy goal."

"Damn straight it is," said Naruto with a toothy grin. "And when I'm Hokage, I will definitely keep our villages in closer contact."

"You would do that?" said Akira lightly. "You really are something, Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto grinned again and chuckled.

"Naruto is actually early?" said Sakura in disbelief as she approached them. Hinata was next to her, Shikamaru just behind them. "Is this bad omen?"

"Shut up, Sakura!" scolded Naruto. "You being late is a bad omen!"

"I'm not late, I'm early," said Sakura with a hint of snobbiness.

"G-good morning, Naruto-kun!" said Hinata with a bow.

"I'm glad you all are here," said Akira. Sakura began to again feel giddy inside just at the sound of Akira's voice. "I must warn you that this mission poses considerable danger to your lives."

"Who cares?" said Shikamaru through a yawn. "Dangerous missions are our specialty, right Hinata?"

"Yes!" said Hinata with a nod.

"Very good," said Akira. "We will then travel by foot for a few kilometers, and there we will meet up with our other party member."

"Another ninja?" asked Sakura.

"You could say that," said Akira with a smile. Akira then turned and headed out of the gate, followed by the others. The sky was now beginning to lighten with the approaching sunrise, and the forest around them was beautiful, the birds now beginning to wake up and give their welcome songs to the coming day. However, something else was in the trees, moving ever so silently, yet with frightening speed.

After a while of walking, Akira motioned for the group to head off to the right into the trees, traveling about half a kilometer until they reached a clearing. Akira stepped out in front of the others to address them.

"Now then, let me summon my friend, and…" A flock of birds suddenly took flight noisily in the trees behind them, followed by a whishing noise.

"Look out!" shouted Shikamaru, and an array of kunai flew out of the trees at them, but fortunately none hit their targets. The ninja were now partially scattered, and as they all stood up a voice came from the trees.

"Kankokage-sama," said the voice, that of a man. "Master Dakatsu doesn't want the Fire Country involved quite yet in the operation."

"You've already interfered greatly with our plans," said another voice, this of a woman.

"It would be troublesome for you to continue."

"Therefore we will stop you here," said yet another voice, this belonging to another man with a lower voice. "It is a pity you had to involve these children in your demise."

Three persons then leapt from the foliage and landed before them, all three wearing similar dark ninja garb and forehead protectors identical to Akira's. Two men, one with medium-length white hair and electric blue eyes, one with short brown hair, strange looking eyes, and a heavily scarred face, and one woman with long, purple hair, lovely purple yes, but an overall appearance of pure malevolence.

_I've seen that brown-haired guy's eyes before_, thought Naruto. _But where? They aren't Sharingan, and they aren't like Neji's…_

"How honorable of you to finally show me your faces," said Akira, pulling out a kunai.

"Foolish Akira," said the man with white hair. "You will not get in the way of our organization, the Twelve Cloaked Daggers."

"We, the Three Assassins will defeat you here," said the woman. "We were foolish before when we had the chance to end your life. Never again will we make that mistake."

"Akira-sama, who are they?" asked Naruto.

"They are three of the ninja who attacked my village," growled Akira, his rings beginning to resonate. "Filthy creatures who will get what they deserve. Don't let your guard down; they have jutsu even I have never seen before."

"Ha!" laughed the white-haired man. "I am Raiko Ikazuchi, this is Daisuke Hureigatsu (pointing to the brown-haired man), and this is our sister of the Cloak, Lina Haishin. We are proud to be the ones to send your souls into the eternal realm of rest."

"We hope your time there is peaceful," said Lina. "And that your souls may find peace in departing this world."

"Enough chit chat," said Daisuke with his peculiar eyes, looking like rings circling other rings radiating from his pupils. "Prepare to die!"

**New for Saturday AND Sunday, 9/27/08 and 9/28/08: HOUR-LONG SPECIAL: THE ASSASSINS OF THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS!!**

-- I SO wanted to put in "you prissy emo douchebag!" in place of what Sakura ACTUALLY said...


	7. Chapter 6

**HOUR-LONG WEEKEND SPECIAL!  
CHAPTER 6: THE ASSASSINS OF THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS, PART I**

Daisuke did not hesitate even a second to launch his attack, and Lina and Raiko immediately followed suit. Their pattern seemed peculiar; from left to right stood Hinata, Shikamaru, Sakura, Naruto, and Akira, but Lina headed straight for Akira, Raiko straight towards Naruto, and Daisuke headed for Shikamaru. Akira and the four Konoha ninja were ready, and braced for the attack.

"Byakugan!" said Hinata, already in attack position, her eyes now marked with small black lines and pulsating veins.

"Raikago no jutsu!" shouted Raiko. (Lightning cage technique)

"What?!" said Akira. A blinding array of sparks and lightning surrounded Raiko and Naruto like a cage, cutting them off from the others, and putting a large object between Akira and the other Konoha ninja.

"You're mine, now!" said Lina with cruelness in her voice, her long purple hair sailing behind her as she ran at Akira. Blades met, sparks flew, and the fight had begun.  
Akira was not ready for the fight Lina was putting up; her strength seemed unreal, and every strike with a kunai sent Akira back further and further.

"Getting beaten by a girl, huh?" laughed Lina as Akira cringed with each hit. Lina then took a major slice at Akria, but he anticipated it, leaping back and landing several yards away from her.

"I see you have great strength," he said calmly, putting away his kunai. "Already I can tell these will be worthless."

"Don't kid yourself, Akira!" shouted Lina. "You have already shown me your trump card, and I know that it has weaknesses!"

"I take it you are the one who controlled my blood?" asked Akira, now adjusting his Ring of Dragon as if Lina wasn't even there. _My dragon chakra still isn't ready…he thought. It takes too long to recharge, though I thought three days would be plenty of time…soon, though. Very soon…_

"Ha! That guy is weak!" she said mockingly. "That idiot only has one move, and he thinks he owns the world with it. I, on the other hand, have many tricks up my sleeve."

"Right," said Akira boorishly, enraging Lina. "Then I definitely won't dabble around too much with you." Akira's rings began to glow upon his fingers.

"Bring it on, punk," said Lina coldly, she too putting away her kunai, replacing them with a pair of black gloves studded with small, sharp metal spikes. Akira then looked up at her with intensity in his eyes, and began a series of hand signs with blinding speed.

"Ninpou: dosei kanshakudama!" (Ninja art: earthen rage)  
Dust and specks of dirt began to rise slowly up from the ground until everywhere below eye level was saturated with earth, not enough to impede movements, but definitely enough to see.

"Nice move," mocked Lina. "You're going to defeat me by getting me dirty?"  
"Some people don't like to be dirty," replied Akira, again brandishing a flurry of signs, ending with 'boar'. "Trust me, you won't like it at all."

Lina's grin faded as Akira landed upon 'boar', her eyes changing back to anger, and she began to charge at Akira.

"Shut up!" she shouted, raising her fists to attack. Akira maintained the sign, smiled, and spoke.

"Daichishuriken!" (Earth shuriken)

The dust and dirt clods floating in the air began to coalesce into small blades, and instantly began flying at Lina as if being thrown. She acted quickly; her fists began to glow green, and she began dodging and hitting the shuriken, pulverizing them in dust once again. Her movements were not perfect, however, and more and more earth shuriken pelted her body, ultimately knocking her down.

"There!" shouted Akira, and the shuriken covered her body until a large mound covered her completely. "Dorokata: haikishi no jutsu! (Mud art: gravestone technique). Akira's water ring began to glow, and water sprayed out of the ground and onto the mound, then with a crackling sound it hardened, becoming like a pile of dried cement. The crackling sound stopped; the only sounds that could be heard were from the other battles going on simultaneously, but Akira knew only too well to assume this was over. After all, it had only just begun.

--

"Raikago no jutsu!" (Lightning cage technique)

"What?" gasped Naruto. About thirty feet around and above a cage of sparks and lightning appeared, separating Naruto and Raiko from the others. Raiko then began to laugh as he pulled out a long katana, the blade crackling with electricity.

"I feel kind of bad," said Raiko in his cruel tone. "Leaving Daisuke to those three kids, not to mention Lina with Akira-sama, while I'm here in my play-pen with one measly Konoha brat." He swung his sword down at the ground, stirring up dust with the sparks emanating from the blade.

"You should feel bad," replied Naruto with a grin. "After all, you are stuck in here with me."

"What's that supposed to mean, you little urchin?!" asked Raiko angrily, the sparks increasing in intensity. "You're totally going to die now!" Naruto then bit his thumb and made a series of signs similar to those required to summon the Toads.

"I haven't been able to practice my new training yet on a real foe," replied Naruto. "I was hoping Sasuke could be the first one to see this, but I guess it can't be helped."

"That sign, it's…?!" gasped Raiko, and his eyes grew even angrier.

"Summoning art: Gamakatana!" (Toad Katana)

Naruto became enveloped by a mighty puff of smoke, obscuring him from Raiko's view. After a moment, however, his silhouette reappeared, but now it was different – Naruto held in his hands a katana. The more it cleared, the more detail came into play: it was about the length of Naruto's arm, with a fine, dark wood handle lacking a cloth wrapping. The pommel was larger than a normal katana; instead of a flat circular plate, it was in the shape of a toad's head, its tongue representing the blade that stretched forth. The craftsmanship of the sword was exquisite and beautiful, even so much that it caught Raiko's attention.

"I must say, that is one nice sword," he said with false respect. "I'm surprised a little kid like you can use a grown-up tool like that!"

"Shut it, loser," said Naruto, grasping the sword tightly, holding it vertically near his side.

"Gamabunta himself gave me this sword, and my partner Gamakichi's power is sealed within it. You made a terrible mistake coming after us." Naruto then smiled, and his eyes began to change. Dark shadows extended beyond his eyelids towards his temples, and his pupils began longer, horizontal slits.

"So, you are the one who took over Jiraiya-sama's position," said Raiko softly. "Then that must mean the Toad Sage truly is dead. How unfortunate…I really wanted to be the one to kill him."

"I am Ero-Sennin's heir," said Naruto. "And the new Toad Sage. And no, I won't let you speak that way about him!" Naruto gave a shout and ran at Raiko, ready to cut him down with Gamakatana.

"Heh, weak," muttered Raiko, and he swung his sword at Naruto. Sparks flew, and the high-pitched scream of the blades was enough to shatter eardrums.  
Raiko's parries did next to nothing to sway Naruto's attacks; just as with Lina and Akira, every blocked strike seemed to push Raiko further and further back towards the wall of the cage.

"Got you!" shouted Naruto, and with that his body seemed to vanish.

"Huh?" muttered Raiko, and something above him caught his eye.

"Die!" shouted Naruto, descending rapidly towards his target, his sword ready to deal

Raiko his last breath. Raiko, on the other hand smiled and leapt backwards straight into the wall, where he vanished in an instant upon contact with it.

"What?" said Naruto, landing upon the ground. His eyes peered quickly back and forth – he wasn't sure what had happened, but he was sure that Raiko was using some sort of genjutsu on him. "Genjutsu, huh?" said Naruto smugly. "Fine then. Sage Jutsu: Hakidasu (release)!"

Naruto released chakra into his system and breathed deeply, but nothing changed – Raiko was still missing.

"Wrong," said Raiko's voice, seemingly emanating from every where around him. "Nice guess, but sadly, wrong. This is no genjutsu. You definitely have a hard task in front of you, Konoha brat, if not impossible. Your opponent is me, the great Raiko Ikazuchi, the champion of the Lightning Country, the master of electricity, of energy!" Without warning, a bolt of electricity shot out from the cage at Naruto.

"Gaah!" he screamed as the bolt hit his body, forcing him to clench all of his muscles simultaneously and wresting him to his knees. The blitz was quick, and Naruto quickly tried to regain his composure, but was having difficulty catching his breath.

"Like that?" asked the voice of Raiko. "I have the ability to travel within the energy fields I create, traveling upon it like a boat on the sea, although at speeds you could never understand.

"Huh?" said Naruto to himself, his eyes perking up. He remembered something like this before._ Haku…that's right…but I can't remember what happened back then…it's all so fuzzy…_

"So cocky…" said Naruto, standing up upon wobbly legs. "So damn cocky…just like Sasuke…" Another bolt shot out, and once again Naruto screamed in pain and fell to his knees.

"I wouldn't be taking such a tone with the one who will end your life," said Raiko. "You seem to have some skill…if you stop fighting now, I will let you join our organization as a target for our battle training. You would like that, wouldn't you?"

_Sasuke said…_ thought Naruto._ That he could see Haku with his sharingan…that Haku was moving back and forth from mirror to mirror…this guy's body can't be in the lightning, that doesn't make sense… so he must be moving along it. I just need to see him once…_

Naruto stood up once again, this time holding Gamakatana up in front of him, the flat part of the blade facing him, allowing him to see behind him. _Just once, that's all I need. Just once…_

"Persistent little prick aren't you?" said Raiko. "If you won't join us, then I am afraid that I will have to kill you here. Prepare yourself!"

_Just once…_

"Die!" shouted Raiko, and another bolt shot out from the cage. At this moment, time seemed to slow for Naruto, as if everything were in super slow motion. Sounds became unrecognizable pulses, like waves on water, and the individual sparks of the cage seemed to be discernible. In the reflection of his sword, he could see a bright, erratically fractured streak of energy coming towards him, and right behind it was Raiko, holding onto the cage, the bolt emanating from his hand. He seemed to be moving from right to left, in a somewhat downward slope.

_Gotcha…_

Naruto vanished again, and the bolt shot past his previous location, crashing into the ground and leaving a burned patch. At the same moment, a crushing blow sounded, and Raiko, his face bruised and his lips bloodied, fell to the ground in a heap, his sword landing next to him. Naruto stood very near to the wall of the cage, carefully holding himself as to not touch the beams of energy.

"What the hell?" cursed Raiko, wiping his mouth, picking up his sword and getting to his feet. "How the hell did you do that? Who are you??" Naruto smirked and grinned out of the side of his mouth, his gaze fixed upon Raiko.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he said in a low, menacing tone. "The Toad Sage, and the next Hokage. My senses are heightened with the Sage Chakra. Not even light can fool me."

"Huh, and here I thought you were someone special," said Raiko. "Hokage…that word means nothing to me. Hokage, Kazekage, Kankokage… all of them are worthless, lying, bastards!" Raiko's emotions began to flare, even startling Naruto.

"You are such a fool," said Naruto, shaking his head and steeping away from the cage wall.

"No!" shouted Raiko, his eyes bulging in rage. "You are the fool! You are all fools! Kage is nothing! NOTHING!"

"What do you have against the Kages?!" asked Naruto, and Raiko didn't hesitate to shout out his response. _What is with this guy?_ he thought.

"Raikage was my best friend!" he shouted, now a tinge of sorrow appearing into his voice. "And he betrayed me! HIS FRIEND! He sent me to die for his sins, for his crimes! They hunted me down, and drove me from my home! From my family! I can never go back; they all hate me now!"

Naruto began to feel pangs of empathy for Raiko; he too had once been hated by everyone, but this was far worse. He had been betrayed by the one person who was supposed to always protect him.

"But Raikage will pay for his sins against me," said Rakio, his voice now becoming calmer. "I will kill him myself, and lay waste to his city, his family, his country. I will destroy them all, and after that…" His voice suddenly became so dark that it frightened Naruto.

"Kira and I will destroy the world."

"I can't let you do that," said Naruto. "I will stop you here!" Naruto then rushed at Raiko, and the sword battle started all over again.

--

"Byakugan!" said Hinata, the veins around her eyes bulging with chakra. Daisuke went straight for Shikamaru, who dodged his punch, jumping back out of the way.

"Shikamaru!" shouted Sakura, but Shikamaru wasn't ready. Daisuke seemed to appear out of nowhere behind him, and landed a punch upon Shikamaru's face, sending him flying forward. With a crash he landed, wincing in pain.

"What was that?" he muttered, looking at Daisuke behind him. "Not even Lee can move that fast!"

Beyond him, Sakura was charging at Daisuke from the left, but Hinata was charging towards Shikamaru.

"Shika! Look out!!" she cried. Shikamaru looked up to see a foot coming down towards his head, and rolled out of the way just in time. Daisuke's kick clammed into the ground, sending debris skyward and rattling the ground.

"What in the hell…?" he stammered in disbelief. Near him was one Daisuke, and behind him battling Sakura was another Daisuke. "Shadow clones!"

"But which one is the real one?" asked Sakura, throwing green-glowing punch after punch and kick after kick at the one Daisuke, though to no avail – every move was deftly dodged as if no effort was given at all.

"If you hit a shadow clone, it will disappear!" shouted Shikamaru, now engaging his own Daisuke with Asuma's old knuckle-blades. This Daisuke was dodging every swipe and slice neatly as well, and Shikamaru became frustrated. "I hate fighting like this! I can't strategize!"

"They are both real bodies," said Hinata, observing them with her Byakugan. "I think you're right Shika. I'll help you, Saku…!" Into her field of vision came a third Daisuke, this one heading straight for her.

"Hinata!" shouted Shikamaru as the third Daisuke leapt into a kick towards her. Hinata turned towards her attacker and gave a battle cry. Her movement was quick; as soon as the kick would have landed, she leaned to the side, allowing Daisuke's leg to sail past her ear. At this same moment, she grabbed his shin with both hands, and with a mighty swing threw him back the way he came. Daisuke landed hard and rolled to a stop…but he didn't disappear.

"Shika! Sakura!" shouted Hinata, returning to her Hyuga battle stance. "This one is the real one!"

"Yes, Hinata!" said Shikamaru, still occupying his Daisuke's attention. "You keep on him, while we focus on…" One of Shikamaru's blades connected with Daisuke's arm, slicing a great gash into it and releasing a spray of blood. _No way! This is impossible…?!_  
Daisuke grimaced in pain, but took advantage of the startled Shikamaru, landing a well placed kick to the chest and knocking Shikamaru back onto the ground.

"What?" gasped Hinata, trying to keep her eyes on both Daisukes.  
Behind them Sakura finally connected, and her hit sent Daisuke flying several yards, this one too landing hard and rolling to a stop.

"What is going on?!" asked Sakura, horror slipping into her voice. "What is this?"

"Heh heh heh…" laughed the three Daisukes all at once. "I wouldn't expect you to know my power." The Daisukes continued to laugh, and Shikamaru became frustrated.

"What is this?!" shouted Shikamaru. The three Daisuke's then simultaneously stood up, each of them gazing upon their foes with the same eyes, the same rings within rings around their pupils.

"We are your doom," said all three Daisukes. "We are Daisuke!"

"What?" gasped Hinata. All three Daisukes had a unique chakra signature, denoting separate spirits, unlike Shadow clones which share the same spirit among all the bodies.

"Shikamaru!" she said. "They're all different people!"

"Different?" he asked. "They all look exactly the same to me!"

"They are each a different person," repeated Hinata. "I swear it's the truth! I can see it!"

"We are one, and each is the other," said the Daisukes.

It was with this statement that Shikamaru finally noticed it. The Daisuke in front of him seemed to be a mere fraction of a second ahead of the others in his speech. _What the…?_ he thought.

"This is your end," continued the Daisukes. "Prepare to meet the departed!" All three Daisuke's bolted at their respective opponents, and again the battles resumed. Their ability to dodge attacks was uncanny; it seemed as though they could see what was coming before hand, seemingly dodging before the attacks were even completed.

"Shika!" said Hinata through heavy breaths as she attempted to strike her Daisuke with Jyuuken (gentle fist). "What are we going to do?! I can't hit this guy!"

"I'm thinking about it!" replied Shikamaru hastily. "Just hang on, and don't die!"

"Hurry it up, damn it!" shouted Sakura, likewise failing in each attempt to hit Daisuke, but receiving several hits and getting knocked back. "This piece of crud is a better fight than I am!"

"I said I'm thinking about it!" shouted Shikamaru back. His Daisuke then drew a kunai, as did the others. "Damn it all," he muttered, and now the battle was intermingled with clashed of steel.

"You are doomed," said the Daisukes. "Behold the power of the Rinnegan!"

--

The ground rumbled from the other battles going on, but Akira kept his eyes glued on the cement-like mound. It had been nearly a minute since he had sealed Lina inside the hardened-mud grave, but that couldn't have been all that she had in her.

"Stay cool, Akira," he said to himself quietly, allowing for a single gulp as the sweat began to trickle down his temples. "Any second now…" Just as he said this, a cracking sound came from the mound, and with a burst of dust and smoke mingled with loud crashing and crunching sounds the mound exploded.

"You bastard…" growled Lina, her silhouette appearing through the settling dust. Her skin was covered in the same dust, and her hair was disheveled and no longer lovely.

"You bastard…look what you've done to me…" Akira gulped again. This was not the same Lina he had faced a minute ago.

"It serves you right for attacking me," he said as coolly as he could. "It's your own fault." _That last move took a lot of chakra…too much. I must have overdone it. _The dust cleared further and Lina's body was now in full view. Her eyes were looking down towards the ground, her hair was torn and ratty, but it was her hands that gained all of his attention. They were glowing green, but more than that the green glow seemed to extended a couple feet out from her fingers, taking the shape of a two double-edged swords attached to her hands.

"You are going to die here," she said softly with pure malice and hatred. "For what you've done to me, I swear I will kill you here, and when I'm done, I will destroy your body, and never again will anyone even fathom that the pile of flesh that will be in your place is you…"

Lina looked up at Akira at this point. Her eyes were bloodshot, her pupils small like pinholes, and blood dripped slowly down the side of her chin. Her gaze then became grotesquely vengeful, and she screamed in anger.

"Die! Die you bastard!!" Lina leapt into the air towards Akira, moving so quickly that he didn't have enough time to react. Lina, while thus sailing through the air, threw her fist at him, sending the green, sword-like chakra towards him. Akira tried to jump out of the way, but was too late.

"Gaaaaah!" he screamed as the chakra hit his leg and passed into it just below his knee. Searing pain shot up and down his leg, the muscles and bones feeling like they were being scraped with a serrated knife against the grain. Akira gathered his strength and swung his arm at Lina, hitting her upon the face and knocking her away from him, but she immediately got back up and charged at him again. This time, however, Akira was ready for her.

"Ryouhengan!" (Dragon transformation)

"I don't think so!" shouted Lina, and she again lunged at Akira, her fist flying towards him with the green chakra sword ready to pass through Akira's chest. "Die!" she screamed gleefully, but her glee was short-lived. Akira was gone in the blink of an eye, and before she even knew what happened he was next to her as she flew through the air, his bronze scales shining in the morning sun. He didn't have the wings he had before, and his eyes were still green, not red as they had been the first time she had seen him like this. Lina tried to redirect her attack midair, but Akira was ready and he punched her right in the gut.

"GUH!" belted Lina, spitting up blood as she flew perpendicular to her original path, falling hard and tumbling violently from the blow. Akira stood patiently as she slowly stood up after a moment, he still exhibiting the limited Dragon characteristics.

"What's wrong," she said through her bloodied mouth. "Before you had so much more power…you even had wings!"

"My Ring of Dragon takes time to recharge," said Akira. "Three days is not enough to restore its power fully, but I figured this would be enough. Besides, I just don't feel good about killing you. I figure I could just incapacitate you, then send you to Konoha for interrogation." It was at this time that a terrible pain shot through the leg that Lina had attacked, and Akira screamed out in agony, falling to the ground.

"Gaah! What is this?!" he screamed. Slowly the scales began to disappear, and a moment later he was back to normal, aside from the intense pain.

"Your leg is in pretty bad shape," laughed Lina, getting up, brushing some of the dust off, and walking towards him, the green chakra blades reappearing. "I figured it wouldn't register immediately, but I didn't think it would take this long."

"W-what…d-did you …do?!" he stammered, holding his leg as though it had been severed.

"I am a medical ninja," she said proudly. "My medical blades are one-of-a-kind; all the others use little "scalpels" when they fight, but I prefer the big knives you can just hack away with. However, I don't attack the flesh or the organs, I attack the chakra streams and even…" Her voice became sinister and she grinned and awful grin. "Even the spirit itself."

"What?!" gasped Akira. This pain he was feeling was from his spirit, his very soul? _What kind of medical ninja can attack the spirit?_

"A few years ago," said Lina, stopping a few feet in front of Akira who was still writhing in pain upon the ground. "Daisuke and I were exiled from our home, the Whirlpool Village, after we killed his father. Daisuke couldn't do it himself; he was far too weak, and he didn't have his father's eyes yet, so I had to finish the old man off with my Soul Blades…really, I didn't think it would be so easy. It seems that one knick of the heart, and BOOM! You die instantly!" Lina began to laugh at her reminiscence, all the while Akira did everything he could to get away from her.

"You…how can you…attack spirit?" stammered Akira in an attempt to stall her.

"It's really not that difficult," she said. "Chakra is a combination of physical energy from the body and spiritual energy from a person's spirit. If you have enough power within the chakra you inject into someone's body, you can damage not only their chakra system, but also the sources of energy feeding the system itself. By fine tuning my Soul Blades over the years, I have been able to attenuate them to resonate at a frequency unique to the spiritual components of chakra, while leaving the physical intact."

"But why…would you want to…attack only the spirit?" asked Akira.

"Because," she said is a very sweet tone. "An untouched body looks so much better in my collection than a roughed up one. Hee hee!" Akira recoiled in disbelief as Lina's sweet face turned menacing then downright demonic.

_I can't move, damn it! he thought. I've never felt anything this painful before…it's like my leg has been cut off, but it is still attached…what do I do?_

"Kankokage…heh," she muttered, the Soul Blades growing brighter. "You are a failure, Akira-sama. You failed your village, your family, your friends…and now, even your enemies. Give my regards to your fellow ninja in the afterlife."

_Is it over?_ he thought, and Lina, now standing above him, raised her fists, ready to send both Soul Blades through his chest and heart.

_No…please no…_  
**  
New for Sunday, 9/28/08: THE ASSASINS OF THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS, PART II!**


	8. Chapter 7

**HOUR-LONG WEEKEND SPECIAL!  
CHAPTER 7: THE ASSASSINS OF THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS, PART II**

(Just so you know, it is only about 2:30 pm where I am, so I apologize to all my eastern hemisphere friends)

--

"Good-bye, Akira Sugiyama," said Lina with a horrific grin, her eyes full of pure evil and unadulterated hatred. Akira closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and waited for the strike. The pain from his leg was so great, so intense, so unbelievable that death was almost welcome.

_I really am a failure,_ he thought. _Some Kankokage I am…I deserve to die._  
Akira held his breath, knowing his death was at hand, and he waited…and waited…and waited. _What?_

He opened his eyes, only to see blue sky above him. Lina was gone.

"Where did you go?" he asked aloud. The lightning cage was still active, with Naruto and Raiko battling fiercely inside. It was then that something caught Akira's eye, off in the distance where the other ninja were fighting.

"Oh no," he said with horror.

--

_Damn it!_ thought Naruto as once again his attack was parried by Raiko. _I just can't beat this guy with moves like these! I've gotta try something else, I guess…_

"Looks like you're reaching your limit there, young Toad Sage!" mocked Raiko, taking a swipe at Naruto's gut with his katana. Naruto read the attack, and back flipped out of the way of the blade. "Again, if you give up, I will let you join our-…"

"Shut up," said Naruto coldly. "I will not give up! And if you think I'm even close to my limit, you will definitely die!" _Still, this cage is really limiting my effectiveness…if I could get outside, then I could really get things going, but that doesn't look like an option right now. I guess I'll just have to use that._

"Looks like things outside the cage are getting a little hairy," said Raiko, looking left to right, then back at Naruto. "I'll just have to end this with the next move. It's a pity; you really have been a fair foe thus far. Forgive me, Toad Sage, for ending your life."  
Raiko stuck his sword into the ground in front of him, sending a spray of sparks up from the dirt and grass. He then made a series of signs, the combination of which Naruto was unfamiliar – but the final sign, 'tiger', indicated a ranged attack. Naruto then stuck his sword into the ground as well, and made several signs as quickly as he could. _Please let me finish the molding in time…_he thought, and as those words crossed his mind Raiko spoke, thrusting his hands out in front of him.

"Ninpou: raisakeru tsumari!" (Ultimate lightning burst)

"Seijin jutsu: gamatoku!" (Sage technique: toad shield)  
From Raiko's hands shot a blinding burst of energy, at least three feet in diameter, and at the same time a large, metallic image of the Toad God Gamajin appeared between Naruto and the beam. Sparks and electrical pulses shot in all directions as the beam hit the shield, and the entire scene was filled with horrifying crackling.

_I made it! Now this ends…Kage Bunshin no jutsu…_

"Ha!" laughed Raiko, still firing his lightning attack at the shield. "Don't you know what happens when a frog gets struck by lightning? Ha ha ha!!"

"Yeah, he gets really mad!"

"What!?" exclaimed Raiko as he looked up, only to once again see Naruto about to cut him down with Gamakatana. "Same move again, huh? You really are a crappy nin-…?!"

"Kenbu! Gamahitokage kataki – Naruto style!!" (Sword Dance: Toad Spirit's Revenge)  
Naruto's sword began to glow a yellowish-orange, and Raiko released the lightning beam. He then picked up his sword to block Naruto's attack, but at that same moment he saw the other two Naruto's closing in on the sides.

"Damn it!" he cursed. Raiko then swung his sword in a circular motion, and blocked all three attacks nearly simultaneously, but the shear force and energy of the technique Naruto released was so great that Raiko was sent flying out of the cage, passing through its wall unharmed, but upon his landing on the ground the cage vanished. Naruto's breathing was heavy, and he gazed onward at Raiko with his toad eyes.

"Damn it," said Raiko as he winced in pain. That attack was more than he ever expected from this little kid, and right now he didn't want to find out what more he could do, not without a little investigation beforehand.

"What?" asked Naruto, the scene featuring Shikamaru, Sakura, and Hinata catching his attention. All at once his two shadow clones vanished, his eyes reverted back to their normal state, and a look of horror shot across his face. "Oh no! No!!"

--

"You are doomed," said the Daisukes. "Behold the power of the Rinnegan!"  
Shikamaru, Hinata, and Sakura each tackled a different Daisuke, and it was very clear that Daisuke was a taijutsu master, possibly beyond the scope of Rock Lee. Their movements were so fluid and neat that it seemed like they could see the attacks before they even happened. Those eyes, however, struck more and more fear into their hearts and minds as each moment passed – those ringed eyes seemed to penetrate deeper than the byakugan, and almost appeared to anticipate movement better than the sharingan.  
Shikamaru, however, had something else besides fear on his mind as he slashed Asuma's knuckle blades in futile attempts at Daisuke, he likewise having to dodge Daisuke's potent kicks and punches.

_Why did this one speak just before the others?_ he thought. _Why would he speak before them, and why are they all speaking at the same time?_

"Damn it!" screamed Sakura as she let fly five frighteningly powerful punches at her Daisuke. All five missed however, and Daisuke responded instantly with a flurry of his own.

"You are all going to die," said the Daisukes. "Your stamina is nothing compared to mine. I can fight for days on end without slowing, and no one has yet to beat me."

_There are subtle differences between them, however,_ continued Shikamaru in his mind. _Almost as if they were triplets…but that would be just too weird._

"Hyah!" shouted Hinata, landing two jyuuken upon Daisuke's chest, but there seemed to be little if no effect. Hinata's taijutsu skill was unmatched among the kunoichi of Konoha, and not even Tsunade, Neji, nor Lee could easily defeat her, if at all. But though she was able to successfully attack Daisuke's chakra points, he continued fighting as if nothing happened, each attack retaining the same force as the others. _Why isn't his chakra system reacting? I'm hitting all the points dead on, just like Neji taught me, but there are barely any fluctuations in the stream at all!_

_It could be a genjutsu,_ continued thinking Shikamaru. _A genjutsu cast on two different people, giving the main body control over their minds and other vital systems…then to release that genjutsu, we'd have to…_

"Sakura! Hinata!" shouted Shikamaru. "Fall back! Get away from them! We cannot beat them!"

"What?!" asked Sakura in disbelief. "What are you talking about?!"

"Fall back!" commanded Shikamaru, and Hinata and Sakura leapt away at their first open chance. Shikamaru likewise jumped back, and the three met about forty feet from the Daisukes, who had gather together as well, each staring intently at their foes with their Rinnegan eyes.

"You are doomed," they repeated. "Rinnegan will only prolong your destruction, and increase your exposure to ultimate suffering. Give up now, and we may spare your lives." The three Konoha ninja also kept their eyes on the Daisukes, watching for any movements of attack.

"Shika?! What the hell are you doing?" asked Sakura angrily.  
"The guy there in the middle is the main body," whispered Shikamaru, his gaze remaining fixed upon the middle Daisuke. "If we can successfully defeat him, we can stop the other two."

"How do you know this?" asked Hinata through heavy breaths.

"That middle guy is speaking before the others," he said. "That totally gave him away. I've heard of that technique before, the Rinnegan. It's the same technique Pain used…but this guy doesn't seem to have the same control over it that he did – which is why all three speak at the same time instead of individually."

"This guy uses Pain's technique?" asked Sakura, now thoroughly shocked.

"That is correct," said Shikamaru. "Now, here's the plan…"

"Damn kids, making me wait," grumbled the Daisukes. "Fine then, if you won't come at me, I'll make the move for you! Doujutsu: Shusokubutai!" (Elemental Focus)

"Damn it!" cursed Shikamaru. "Go, now!" Sakura and Hinata both leapt off to about thirty feet of either side of Shikamaru, all three still facing the Daisukes, who began stringing together a series of signs at a dizzying rate.

Behind the three Daisukes the air began to lighten and change colors, from clear to light blue, then continuing down to a deep violet. The air also became more and more opaque, and a flow could be seen in it – a vortex was forming.

"You three are so dead," chuckled the Daisukes. The vortex then began to grow brighter and brighter, and the Daisukes began to growl with power.

_Damn it, we've got to make this fast, _thought Shikamaru. _That move looks like it will require a short time to fully activate for the attack, during which time he will be vulnerable…but that means our timing has to be perfect. _He nodded his head, and Hinata and Sakura ran forward, stopping themselves once the Daisukes were directly between them.

"Now?" asked Sakura.

"Not yet," replied Shikamaru. "Wait for it."

"Ha!" laughed the Daisukes. "You send these little girls against me to what, attack me? Defeat me? You must be genin from Konoha; idiots like you guys could never become ninja like me!"

"Actually," replied Hinata, her speepish tone beginning to return. "All three of us are Jonin now."

"I can't believe a great ninja like you would think so poorly of Konoha jonin!" said Sakura. "That is just so wrong!"

"Then I sincerely apologize," said the Daisukes. "How awful of me to behave in such a dishonorable manner. In repayment, please accept this offering." The Daisukes then made another series of signs, and the vortex behind them began to fluctuate in color, becoming bright and brighter.

_This is it!_ Shikamaru nodded again, and Hinata and Sakura both made a break from the Daisukes, though Hinata ran at them much faster than Sakura. The central Daisuke then closed his eyes and opened his mouth as if screaming in pain, but he made no sound. Instead the vortex began swirling faster and faster, indicating that a powerful was about to take place.

"Here I go!" shouted Hinata, and she sped even faster towards the leftmost Daisuke, gathering not his but the rightmost Daisuke's attention as well. The two Daisuke's then pulled out a kunai each, and at this moment, Shikamaru smiled, his hands in the sign used for shadow binding techniques.

"Gotcha," he said quietly. With the central Daisuke's eyes closed, and the others' attention focused on Hinata, none of the three saw the shadowy threads speeding along the ground towards them.

"You're dead, little girl!" said the rightmost Daisuke menacingly, and he prepared to slash it at the fast-approaching Hinata…but nothing happened. In fact, all three Daisukes stopped moving completely, and the vortex began to fade behind them.

"W-w-what?" they stammered, but already it was too late, since Sakura had leapt into the air, ready to deal her unearthly strength to the central Daisuke.

"It's over!" shouted Sakura, and she struck the central Daisukes face with her fist, glowing green with chakra and power. At the exact same time, Hinata rolled around the rightmost Daisuke, and shot her right-hand palm at his chest.

"Konjohira!" Hinata shouted (Spirit Palm).

The two crushing blows knocked the central Daisuke out of Shikamaru's shadow bind, and he flew back from them sixty feet before crashing hard and long upon the dusty ground. Bones cracked and blood spilled, and a moment after he landed the other two Daisukes vanished into thin air.

"Is he dead?" asked Hinata, and Sakura ran over to Daisuke's battered body – he as still breathing, but appeared completely unconscious.

"No he isn't dead, but that combination just about did him in," yelled out Sakura. "We should send him back to Konoha for quest-…"

"DIE YOU LITTLE BITCH!!"

Sakura turned around just in time to see Lina racing towards her, her hands aglow with the Soul Blades. Lina's face was covered in tears, contorted in pure rage and hatred towards Sakura.

"DIE!!" shouted Lina again, and she struck Sakura squarely in the chest with her Soul Blade.

Sakura flew back, rolling several times upon the ground. When she finally stopped, she wasn't moving, and her eyes were closed. Lina, meanwhile, picked up Daisuke's body, threw it over her shoulder, and leapt into the trees.

"Raiko!" she shouted. "Let's go!"

Next to Naruto, Raiko stood up and likewise leapt out of the meadow and into the trees, and a few moments later three huge, black ravens cleared the treetops and flew off into the horizon behind the tree line.

"No! Sakura!" cried Naruto, his sword vanishing in a puff of smoke, and he, Hinata, and Shikamaru all raced over to her side. Hinata, still using her byakugan felt her face, and gasped.

"She's still alive, but her chakra system is fading!" she said breathlessly. "It's like her spirit has been cut!"

"N-Nar-u-to…" whispered Sakura. "I-I'm s-s-so s-sorr-y…"

"Sakura-chan!" whimpered Naruto, tears now beginning to roll down his cheek. "Sakura-chan, please don't die. Please!" It was then that Akira limped over to the group huddled around her.

"Please, let me see to her," he said softly, and Naruto stepped out of the way as Akira knelt down beside her. "Sakura, give me your right hand."

"W-why?" she whispered.

"Your spirit has been severed," he replied. "We need to heal it before it kills you. Can you activate your chakra to repair the spirit?"

"I…I-I th-think s-s-so," she replied. Sakura then closed her eyes tightly, and the green glow returned to her hand. Slowly it began to change to a lighter bluish color, and Sakura silently screamed in agony.

"Hold on, Sakura," said Akira gently, stroking her forehead with his hand. "You'll make it, just hold on. Is this burnt patch on your shirt where she hit you?" Akira then grasped her left hand with his, and Sakura's expression calmed a bit. Akira then took her right wrist by his right hand.

"Y-yes…" replied Sakura. Akira then placed her right hand with its chakra glow onto her chest. Sakura again made an expression of screaming, only this time the sound came out, ringing across the meadow as her agony poured out into the air.

"Hang on, Sakura," said Akira calmly, grasping her left hand even tighter. "Keep your chakra flowing. Don't let go!"

Sakura's scream turned into a moan of agony, but still the chakra flowed out of her hand and into her chest where Lina had attacked her. Sweat began to trickle off from Akira's nose and onto her shirt, their hands clasped so tightly that all color had left the skin. After a few moments, however, Sakura's face became calm and peaceful, her breathing returned to normal, and her eyes closed as she fell unconscious. Akira then let go of her wrist and hand, and fell back onto the ground, his breathing deep and heavy, his face drenched with sweat.

"Akira-sama…" said Naruto, his tears now beginning to subside. "How did you know?"

"Lina got me with the same attack," he replied in between breaths. "Only she got my leg. Sakura is very lucky to be alive; Lina said that if her blades even nick the heart it is fatal."

"Will Sakura-chan be all right?" asked Hinata, a small stream of tears also running down her cheek.

"I think so," replied Akira, brushing away some of his brown hair that had stuck to the sweat on his face. "She doesn't seem to be in pain any more. I would have to think that is a good sign because my leg still feels like it is being shredded with every movement."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Shikamaru.

"I'll just have to wait it out, I guess," said Akira with a small, fake laugh. "When she wakes up, maybe she can heal me too."

"So there are twelve of those guys…" said Naruto quietly, looking off in the direction in which the three attackers fled. "Those were only three of them…how can we possibly defeat them all?"

"I have been wondering that myself," said Akira. "But I do take some comfort in the fact that even with all their horrifying power, we are still alive, and they are on the run."

"A-Akira-s-sama…" whispered the voice of Sakura. Slowly her hand reached out towards Akira, and she laid it against his leg where he too had a burnt patch of clothing. Her hand then began to glow the same as before, and Akira felt his pain subsiding.

"Sakura, thank you," he said softly. Sakura's eyes were filled with tears, and she moved her hand down to Akira's once again.

"Akira…sama…" she said softly, and again she fell unconscious.

--

It was nearly night when Sakura finally awoke. She slowly stood up; her body felt like lead, and every inch of her entire being hurt and ached. Behind her, Naruto was asleep, apparently having dozed off while sitting next to her, and Shikamaru and Hinata were a ways off tending to a fire. Akira could not be seen, and this made her feel a little sad.

"Naruto," she said softly, every word causing strain to her system. "Naruto!"

"Wha…" he said in a drowsy tone. "Sa…Sakura-chan!" Naruto leapt to his feet and embraced Sakura, somewhat to her dismay, but at this time she didn't have the strength to fight him. "Sakura-chan! You're awake!"

Sakura and Naruto walked over to the fire where Hinata and Shikamaru were sitting, and both seemed very pleased that she was back with them

"What did it feel like?" asked Hinata quietly.

"It felt like part of me just vanished," replied Sakura, also in a soft tone. "Like half my body had been ripped away from the rest…I wonder if that is what it feels like to die?"

"Dying is much quicker and smoother," said Shikamaru. "When a person dies, they usually don't look like they are going through such unbelievable pain…you looked different…"

"Where is Akira-sama?" asked Sakura. All three shook their heads.

"He left shortly after you passed out," answered Naruto. He hasn't been back since.

"Akira-sama…" muttered Sakura under her breath.

"Well, as long as he isn't back, I think you should rest up a bit more," said Shikamaru, putting his hands behind his head and stretching. "You don't even look like you are at 10; don't worry, we'll make sure you get back to top speed."

--

Off a ways through the trees, Akira sat at the very top of a tall pine, looking out across the forest canopy, tears dripping slowly down from his eyes and cheeks.

_You are such a failure…you've let everyone down…your village, your friends, your family…Lina was right. I deserve to be dead…_

A breeze began to pick up, and the sky began to darken faster as the sun disappeared beyond the distant mountains, the last trickles of light illuminating Akira's face, his eyes red and bloodshot, his expression that of complete and utter sorrow.

_A failure…that's all that I am…some Kankokage I am…_

Above him, a large bird started circling, and little by little it got closer to him. Akira directed his gaze upwards at it, and sighed.

"I really don't want to be bothered right now," he said aloud as the bird, now recognizable as a regular osprey, neared and landed on the tree top next to him.

"Lady Kyodaimokin has been worried about you, Akira-kun," said the osprey, generating absolutely no response in Akira. "She wonders why you haven't summoned her yet."

"Doesn't she have anything better to do than to worry about me?" said Akira after a moment. "I mean, surely she has someone else she could bother."

"Akira-kun!" said the osprey sharply. "Why are you speaking in such an unruly manner? Kyodaimokin and all the Osprey of the Brine hold you in the most deep and sincere respect."

"I don't deserve any of that respect," said Akira softly, turning away from the osprey.

"Not from you, not from them, not from Kyodaimokin…not even my own family."

"Akira-kun…?"

"I fled from my village when I was supposed to stay and protect it with my life," continued Akira, his sorrow increasing. "When I saw that Tonbo and the others had turned away from me though, I didn't know what to do, so I fled. I fled and I left them to their fates, be it death from the Twelve, or execution from the Cloud ninja, or…" Akira wiped the tears from his eyes.

"These words are not becoming of the Kankokage, Akria," said the osprey after a moment. "You are the greatest ninja of the Brine Country, and many of my kind consider you greatest of all the kages!"

"The other kages don't abandon their loved ones," replied Akira. "They defeat their enemies…I can't even defeat one."

"Can't, or do you choose not to?" asked the osprey.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You have a kind heart," continued the osprey. "We Osprey have seen it since your youth, and that is why we have chosen to follow and serve you. You do not shed blood when blood is not absolutely necessary. I'm sure that whatever happened did so for a reason…it has never been in your interest to kill."

"But back in my village, I took the lives of five of Dakatsu's guards," he replied. "And I would have taken the life of Shirokuma had Tonbo not interfered."

"That is different. That is what the Kankokage would do to protect his village."

"And how is this any different?" asked Akira.

"I'm sure you thought of another use for your enemies other than recipients of your killing ability," said the osprey. "Look inside…you know I'm right. Stop beating up on yourself, and take comfort in the fact that you did not abandon your people – you provided a way to save them."

"What?" gasped Akira.

"If you had stayed, you would have been killed. You are of no use dead, but this way you are still alive, and the fact that you are striving to save your people and your village qualifies you to be the Kankokage."

Akira did not respond; rather he sat silently, mulling over in his mind the osprey's words.

"Think about it," said the osprey. "And please summon Kyodaimokin so that she will stop pestering me about you." The osprey then took flight, and after a few moments disappeared into the encroaching darkness of the evening.

_They still have faith in me…so why can't I feel the same? Why can't I shake this awful guilt and dread from my soul? Why can't I…_ Akira shuddered, and wiped his eyes again. _Why can't I protect those I care for?_ Sakura's image appeared in his mind's eye, and then he remembered: he had protected her. In fact, he had saved her.

"Fine," said Akira, wiping his eyes one last time. "I really don't have time to be moping around like this." He then took out the small black and green scroll from his shirt, opened it, bit his thumb, and called out the summons.

"Summoning Art: Kyodaimokin!"

**New for Wednesday, 10/1/08: EMERGENCY! THE COUNTRY OF LIGHTNING IS ATTACKED!**


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8: EMERGENCY

**CHAPTER 8: EMERGENCY! THE COUNTRY OF LIGHTNING IS ATTACKED!**

The sun dipped beneath the horizon of the sea beyond the coastal town of Ichu of the Country of Lightning, the clouds dimming in their red and orange radiance, and the stars growing ever so slightly brighter. A wooden wall surrounded this small town, and two guards sat near the eastern gate facing the sea. Less than a hundred yards separated this town from the waterfront, and as such these two guards were able to completely take in the beautiful evening. Everything was so peaceful; it made both of them wonder if there was any reason at all to stand guard.

"Ichiro," said the guard on the right after a long sigh. "Do you ever think you made a mistake in becoming a guard?"

"What do you mean?" said Ichiro. "You and I have always wanted to be in the military, Baito."

"You, maybe," said Baito, looking back out towards the sea. "To be honest, I only started in this line of work for the money. If I had my way, I would get on a boat and go out there. You know? See the world, visit other countries, have fun… it seems all I ever do around here is watch the gates and make sure travelers aren't making off with stolen goods. I feel suffocated!"

"Well, if you feel that way, maybe you should ask for a leave," replied Ichiro, he too directing his gaze back out to the sea. "You've done what, three hundred days without missing a single shift? You deserve a holiday, Baito."

"Maybe I will," said Baito, but Ichiro's expression suddenly changed.

"What is that?" he asked, pointing out over the ocean. There, in the air, were a number of dark objects moving in a V-formation.

"Are they birds?" asked Baito.

"Those are too big…" observed Ichiro. "Far too big to be any type of sea bird…"

"They are flying fast," said Baito, squinting his eyes to see better. "Very fast… straight towards us!"

"Should I sound the alarm?" asked Ichiro, concern rife in his voice.

"Yeah…" said Baito, reaching down and grasping the hilt of his katana. "This is so weird…" Ichiro ran to the left of the gate, climbed a ladder, and began turning a large crank attached to a hollow wooden cone, from which a loud siren began to sound.  
The towns people turned to the sound and began to panic and run, but by that time it was too late – the birds had arrived, and more importantly – and unfortunately- so did the ninja that were riding upon them.

"Ichiro!" shouted Baito as a cloud of kunai flew from the birds to the city. Ichiro fell from the wall, his body covered in blood and blades. "Ichiro! No!"  
Behind him, the townspeople were beginning to fall from the attacks, screams emanating from all corners.

"Damn it!" cursed Baito. Three of the large, black birds landed upon the ground just outside of the gate, while the other sixteen flew off in other directions. It was then that Baito saw it: the Three Mountains forehead protector on the three dismounting ninja.  
_The Brine?_ he thought. _Why would the Brine Country's ninjas be attacking us?!_ Baito then ran over to the shadows to his right as another volley of kunai fell upon the town.

"People of the town of Ichu!" boomed the voice of one of the attacking ninja, a man wearing the same garments as Raiko, Lina, and Daisuke had near Konoha. His hair was fire-red and long, standing nearly straight up from his head in clumps, his eyes equally red as his hair. "You are all going to die if you stay here! Flee unto the Village Hidden in the Clouds, and tell Raikage that the Country of Brine has declared war upon him!"

Upon hearing these words, the majority of the townsfolk began to flee to the western gate of the village, but there were some who remained, all of them bloodied from the attack, but nevertheless they stood bravely against the attackers, all of them with weapons in hand. Baito could do nothing but watch from the shadows as the red-haired ninja walked slowly towards them.

"We won't run away!" shouted one of the townsfolk, the left side of his face covered in blood.

"We'll fight until we're dead to protect this village!" shouted another. Many of the other townsfolk then voiced their agreement, and the red-haired ninja smirked.

"Is that so?" he asked them lightly. "You would rather die than flee to Raikage? Is that seriously what you want? That is simply too much!"

"Chizome!" said one of the other ninja sternly, a tall, silver-haired ninja with blue eyes and handsome features. "Quit fooling around!"

"You don't tell me what to do," said Chizome softly, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Chizome," said another of the ninja, this man having a mix of brown and black hair that was just long enough to reach his eyes. He was dressed a little differently from the others; in addition to the dark clothing, he also wore an overcoat-type cloak of the same material, thus hiding his arms from view. His eyes were closed when he addressed Chizome, and Chizome looked back at him defiantly.

"What, Kira?" said Chizome. "You think you're my boss? What would Tetsuma think if he knew you were trying to take over the organization?"

"Chizome," said Kira again. "Be silent." Kira then opened his eyes, and immediately Chizome's expression changed from defiance to fear.

"I'm sorry," he said, turning his gaze back to the townsfolk. "I'm afraid if you won't run, then I'll just have to kill you all here."

"Yeah? Just you go ahead and try!" shouted one of the townsfolk, and again Chizome smirked.

"Very well," he said. "I will try. Kessen no jutsu!" (Bloody battle technique)  
From inside the walls of the town a cacophony of horrid and wretched screams erupted, filling the air with terror and deathly sorrow, and after a moment all was silent. Those who were fleeing turned in fear and listened, only to be driven away with even greater speed. In the shadows, Baito sat as silently as he could. Tears streamed down his face, and it hurt to breathe. His town, his friends, his family…they were all dead.

"So, should we move on?" asked Chizome. No one immediately responded, but after a moment Kira's voice again spoke up, and its message sent chills down Baito's spine.

"No, not yet," said Kira softly. "There is a guard behind us, hiding in the shadows. Jago, bring him here to me." Baito began to tremble and he looked for an escape route, but before he knew it he was being dragged out by the back of his collar from his hiding place.

"Let me go!" pleaded Baito, and then the silver-haired ninja known as Jago released him. Baito looked up at the man with the cloak. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was set in a slight frown. All around lay the dead bodies of his friends and comrades, their skin appearing as though it had been badly burned by fire, though blood covered every inch of them.

"What is your name?" asked Kira softly. Baito recoiled a bit, and his lips were trembling.

"B-baito Kimaru," he stammered in a sheepish, fear-laden voice.

"Baito," said Kira, again in a very soft voice. "Do you have a family?"

"I-I don't know," said Baito, tears now running down his face. "I don't know if they made it out of the village."

"I can guarantee you, they are no longer among the living," said Kira slowly, causing Baito's tears to intensify. "I am willing to make a deal with you, however."

"A d-deal?" stammered Baito.

"Yes, a deal," replied Kira. "I can send you to see them now, releasing you from the pain and agony of life, or you can persist for a little while longer in this wretched existence in my service. Haven't you wanted to explore the world a little before you died?"

"W-what…?" gasped Baito, his eyes wide and full of tears. "You murderer…I could never serve such a terrible person! I would rather die!"

"Pity…" muttered Kira. He then opened his eyes and looked down at Baito; they seemed to be horribly deformed, yet piercing and penetrating, with a light-blue iris with a pupil featuring a small, bright white dot in the center, and what appeared to be a blood-red shuriken surrounding the iris, separating it from the whites of each eye.

"W-w-what are you?!" said Baito with a fraction of a whisper. He began to recoil and inch backward away from Kira, but before he could get away any further than a foot, Kira spoke.

"The Tenmongan is Death itself. Remember that in the afterlife." Another blood-curdling scream filled the air, but for only a moment. Again silence filled the setting, and the last torch of the village burned out, leaving it dark and lifeless.

--

Again Akira found himself riding upon Kyodaimokin in the midnight air, but this time he was not alone. Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru were with him, as well as Sakura whose spiritual wounds seemed to be healing very well now. Kyodaimokin had no problem with the number of people upon her back; she was about forty feet from beak to tail, and her ability to retain her passengers even at high speed seemed magical.

"So Akira-sama!" said Naruto excitedly, frequently going from side to side to look down at the moonlit countryside below them. "Where are we heading to now?"

"Naruto!" said Shikamaru sternly. "He is the Kankokage. You must refer to him as such!"

"Akira is fine," said Akira, startling Shikamaru somewhat. "In fact I prefer to be called Akira even by the people of my village…Kankokage is just too, well, grown-up for me."

"Well, that makes it easier, I guess," said Shikamaru, lying down upon Kydaimokin to look at the stars and drifting clouds. Hinata was seated near to Naruto, following him with her eyes as he hopped back and forth for the view, while Akira was up near Kyodaimokin's head. Sakura sat away from the others near Kyodaimokin's tail, looking out into the darkness behind them. The image of Akira kneeling above her, holding her hands in his was repeating itself over and over again in her mind, and she was filled with a sense of uncertainty of confusion.

_What does this mean?_ she thought. _What are these feelings? I've only felt this way when Sasuke was around…_

"Sakura-chan!" said Naruto excitedly. "Come check out the view!"

"No thanks," said Sakura softly. "Thank you though. I think I'll just stay here if you don't mind…"

"Are you all right, Sakura-chan?" asked Naruto, stopping and looking back at her. "Are you still in pain?"

"A little," she replied. "Don't worry about me; I'll be fine." Up near Kyodaimokin's head, Akira was observing the atmosphere before them.

"I'm disappointed in you, Akira," said Kyodaimokin after a moment. "Why didn't you summon me earlier?"

"Those ninja attacked us before I could do anything," he replied.

"Then why didn't you kill them?" she continued. "Why did you let them persist in their attacks?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. "I thought by incapacitating them we might obtain information, but it didn't turn out that way."

"It was your ring, wasn't it?" asked Kyodaimokin softly. "Back in the Domain of Dakatsu, you used too much of the chakra at once. You really need to learn to control those rings better."

"It's a lot harder than you would think," said Akira, catching Naruto's attention for a moment. "Of all the Sugiyama, I am the one with the best control. And even then I struggle."

"You will get better at it…" started Kyodaimokin, but she suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" asked Akira.

"Daimiki is approaching us."

"Daimiki?" asked Naruto. "Who is that?"

"One of my servants," answered Kyodaimokin. "Something must be wrong."

"Lady Kyodaimokin!" called out the smaller osprey as it approached. "The Country of Lightning has been attacked!"

"What?!" said Akira in disbelief. "There's no way they could have reached the Lightning Country this quickly!"

"Doubt if you will, but I speak the truth," replied Daimiki. "Several towns have been attacked already, and one has already been completely destroyed."

"How did they get there so fast?!" asked Akira.

"Our scouts have seen giant Ravens flying in the vicinity," said Daimiki. "Perhaps they are the method by which they crossed the great distance."

"Ravens?" asked Kyodaimokin. "Ravens of the Blight?"

"That would be a fair assessment," said Daimiki. "But as it currently is known, no living ninja has ever been able to summon the Ravens of the Blight."

"Wait!" demanded Naruto. "What are you talking about? Who are these Ravens?"

"The Ravens of the Blight are a very violent, hateful group of birds that hail from the Sky Kingdom of the Blight," said Kyodaimokin. "They have sworn themselves to the destruction of the Ospreys, and they will go to whatever end to reach that goal."

"One of the Twelve may have promised them assistance in destroying you," said Akira.

"It is possible," replied Kyodaimokin. "And if that is true, the difficulty of your mission has grown ten-fold."

"So we are going to the Lightning Country?" asked Naruto.

"No," said Akira. "We must find Dakatsu and end this. Daimiki! Go to Konoha and inform Hokage-sama that the mission has changed. Tell her what has occurred in the Country of Lightning, and work with her to determine a course of action. We must hurry in whatever choice we make; the fate of millions of lives is at stake."

"It will be done, Akira-sama," said Daimiki. "Please, be careful." With that, Daimiki sailed away from them and headed back towards Konoha, while Kyodaimokin continued on her course.

_This is not good,_ thought Akira.

--

The Village in the Clouds was quiet, too quiet, as Raikage looked out from his rooftop into the night sky. He took a deep breath and stroked his goatee, and gazed from constellation to constellation.

"Something is not right," he muttered, looking from Orion to Cassiopeia, then back to Orion. "Is this an omen?" Behind him, a Cloud ninja suddenly appeared.

"Raikage-sama," said the ninja. "We have an emergency!"

"I thought so," said Raikage without turning around. "Where and what is it?"

"A large amount of villages have been attacked, and the survivors are fleeing here," continued the ninja. "Our sentries have also seen strange birds flying in the air."

"Birds?" asked Raikage. "What kind of birds?"

"They looked like giant ravens," said the ninja.

"Ravens, huh?" muttered Raikage, again stroking his goatee. "Giant Ravens…likely from the Sky Kingdom…"

"Raikage-sama…?"

"Where are they headed now?"

"They are coming straight towards us," answered the ninja. "It is estimated that at their current pace they will reach our city within a few minutes!"

"Damn…" muttered Raikage in a low growl. "A matter of minutes, and you are just barely informing me now. How many ninja do we have in the city?"

"Only a few squads," replied the ninja. "Most of the others are responding to the attacked villages, but none of us thought that they would head here."

"Idiots…" said Raikage. "I guess then I will have to face these birds."

"Raikage-sama…" said the ninja, his voice becoming a little frail. "There were also reported to be people atop these birds."

"No kidding?" said Raikage with fake curiosity. "Giant birds don't appear in our world by happen chance. Someone summoned them here…but who it is must be a powerful summoner, even greater than the old Toad Sage Jiraiya…"

Beyond them, far off at the main gate of the city, a massive explosion lit up the sky, casting shadows in all directions.

"What in the hell…?" cursed Raikage. Several moments later, the sound of the explosion reached them, rattling the buildings and shaking their bodies. Beyond, the fire of the explosion subsided, replaced by a huge pillar of smoke. Below, people were running through the streets away from the main gate, and panic set in the air.

"Already, huh?" said Raikage. "I'll destroy them myself."  
Near the main gate, the red-haired ninja Chizome waltzed through the smoke, daintily stepping around the dead corpses strewn about.

"How lovely this is!" he exclaimed, smiling big at every dead, bloodied body he saw. "Blood is the greatest cosmetic! I love it!"

"Shut up, Chizome," said the silver-haired Jago, stepping over the bodies without any concern. "You're such a fairy."

"Cute," countered Chizome. "This coming from the man who needs his hair to be perfect before he goes anywhere."

"Shut up, you piece of shi-…! started Jago, but Kira appeared next to him, holding out his hand for silence.

"Stop fighting, you two," he said softly. "Don't make me kill you before our mission is completed."

"Sorry," said Jago somewhat begrudgingly.

"Yeah, sorry," seconded Chizome. "You'd think they'd have more ninja here in the Cloud Village. Kinda lame, I think…"

"At least the others are having fun wiping out the outlying villages," added Jago.

"Tetsuma wanted us to come here because we're the strongest, but now that we're here I feel kind of duped."

"You are not the strongest," said Chizome. "Tetsuma sent you here because you are the weakest. He figured Raikage would kill you, you know, as a way to thin out the cast a little bit."

"So says the ninja with only one move," said Jago smugly. "I can't even believe he let you into the organization. You and Daisuke…you guys are such losers! Why does he keep sticking me with you?"

"Because we look so good together," replied Chizome. "Women can't help but fall for our charms, and that makes everything easier, right?"

"Whatever," said Jago.

"Quiet, both of you," said Kira. "The great Raikage approaches." Chizome and Jago both stopped bickering and looked in the same direction as Kira.

"You three, identify yourselves!" yelled out the voice of Raikage through the shadows.

"Now!"

"The great Raikage," said Kira, his generally soft voice now loud. "I am disappointed in you, just as I was in the Kankokage."

"Those forehead protectors…" said Raikage, still hidden in the shadows. "You are Akira's ninja?"

"Yes and no," answered Kira. "Kankokage-sama has betrayed his people in their time of triumph."

"Betray?" said Raikage slowly. "He is an honorable man, I cannot believe that!" Raikage stepped out from the shadows and into the fire-lit street before the burning and smoldering gate.

"Shows how much you know," said Chizome with a smug grin.

"And who are you?" asked Raikage. "Henchmen of that slime Dakatsu?"

"He catches on fast," said Jago. "No wonder he's the greatest ninja in the Country of Lightning."

"We are servants of Dakatsu, as you have so rightly ascertained," replied Kira. "I am Kira Maraki, this is Chizome, and he is Jago Kotetsu. We are proud to be the ones to take your life, and we expect nothing but the greatest of resistance from you, the great Raikage."

"Is that so?" said Raikage, drawing a sword held in a sheath below his back.

"Yes, it is so," said Kira. "Before I forget, our friend Raiko Ikazuchi has expressed his condolences for not being here tonight to take your life, but he did express some contentment to be the one to kill your feudal lord."

"Raiko?" said Raikage slowly. "Raiko is alive?"

"Yes," answered Kira. "Very much alive."

"He might as well be dead, for all I care!" shouted Raikage. "Raiko is a traitor and a murderer!"

"That's not what he tells us," said Jago.

"Yeah, he said you and the feudal lord framed him for the murder of the defense minister," added Chizome. "Such a damn awful thing to do, setting up one's friend."

"Well, as much as I would like to continue this conversation, I'm afraid I'm just going to have to abstain," said Raikage, holding the sword in front of him. "You have attacked my country and village, and killed my people. You will pay for what you've done!"

"It's about frickin' time!" said Chizome with ennui. "I've been waiting a while to actually fight someone powerful!"

"He's all yours then, Chizome," said Jago, and he and Kira stepped back.

"Chizome is your name, is it?" asked Raikage. "I suppose a little practice with you will be good."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Raikage-sama," said Chizome, now holding a kunai in his right hand. "This is a big moment for me; you see, I get to show these two that I'm not just a one-trick pony."

"What?" asked Jago under his breath.

"This will be interesting," said Kira with a sense of admiration in his voice. "I knew he was holding back on us."

Chizome then raised his kunai high into the air, and with a shout he stabbed it into his left palm. He then switched the kunai to his bleeding left hand, and repeated the self-infliction on his right hand. Blood dripped wildly down his fingers, and starting flinging blood in all directions as he began making a series of signs.

"Chijutsu: Hoketsu." (Blood Art: Blood replenishment)

"Medical jutsu…?" asked Raikage. Chizome smiled, and set the last sign of 'snake'.

"You're a very lucky guy, Raikage-sama," said Chizome. "I have been saving this special technique for someone of true talent, and you are the one. Please, be proud of this grand opportunity!" Blood began literally flowing out of his wounds like a mountain stream, but instead of falling to the ground it began to hover in the air above his bleeding hands.

"Kegaretate no jutsu!" (Blood hands technique)

**New for Saturday, 10/4/08: JAGO'S JEALOUSY! CHIZOME VERSUS RAIKAGE!**


	10. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9: JAGO'S JEALOUSY! CHIZOME VERSUS RAIKAGE!**

**Super-extra-special-fluffy early release! Hurrah!**

Raikage gasped as he looked upon the horrifying image that Chizome presented. Blood churned and flowed in the air above his hands, and Chizome grinned menacingly.

"Isn't it lovely?!" he asked emphatically. "Blood is so beautiful! I just can't seem to get enough of it!"

"Hmph!" grunted Raikage. "Filthy technique. I think I've heard your name before, now that I think about it. You were once a ninja from the Stone Village, weren't you?"

"Oh! I'm famous!" cried Chizome with glee. "Raikage knows who I am!"

"Yes," continued Raikage. "They attempted to kill you once you began using a forbidden technique, but you had disappeared. The bingo book lists you as an extremely dangerous S-class felon."

"This is too much!" shrieked Chizome, now beginning to blush. "He knows so much about me, it's like I'm a celebrity! Ohhh!"

"Chizome, you're such a fairy…" muttered Jago, but Chizome pretended not to hear him.

"Very well," said Raikage shortly. "I figure I will do the Village of Stone a favor, and end your life here. I will of course be collecting the ransom on your head."

"A ransom?!" gasped Chizome, his eyes wide and glistening in the smoldering firelight. "Really? For me?!"

"You really have issues," said Raikage.

"Now you are starting to sound like Jago," countered Chizome. "You're a prick just like him…and do you know what I do with pricks?" Raikage grasped his sword tightly in anticipation.

"What is that?' he asked.

"I melt them." Chizome then let out a shrieking laugh, and without warning the two plumes of blood shot towards Raikage who moved quickly; as soon as the blood plumes came at him he leapt into the air, but the blood followed him like a magnet. One by one streams of blood shot out of the plumes at him in midair, and Raikage slashed though each one, effectively stopping their advances, and even as he landed on the ground now further away from Chizome the blood continued to pour out of Chizome's body and into the plumes.

"What jutsu is this?" asked a thoroughly bewildered Raikage as he constantly slashed away the advancing streams. "What kind of jutsu creates blood like this? It cannot be possible!"

"Isn't it amazingly wonderful?!" laughed Chizome.

"Fairy…" muttered Jago again, and once again Chizome ignored him.

"Don't antagonize him," said Kira softly. "You have to admit his technique is impressive."

"I would have to think that you have found a way to store chakra like Tsunade-sama, the Hokage," continued Raikage. Three streams came at him at once, and with a great slash and a leap he cut all three streams and once again was airborne, followed closely by the blood streams. "Like her you are probably releasing that chakra into your system to create massive amounts of new blood cells."

"Hmm, I guess that's one way you could put it. Hee hee hee!" Chizome laughed like a child as he sent wave after wave of blood at Raikage, who still was cutting through them effectively while only getting a few specks on his body.

"But how you control its movement, that I do not understand," said Raikage, again landing and now charging at Chizome, the streams of blood nipping at his heels. "I would think it is similar to the Kazekage's technique, but…" Raikage stopped just in front of Chizome to strike, but another stream immediately shot out from his hand. Raikage leaned back until head was on the ground.

"You guys talk too damn much…" said Jago in an annoyed tone. "Chizome! Kill him already! Stop playing with him!"

"He is such a prick…" muttered Chizome. "After I kill you, I will definitely kill him. Hee hee hee!" Raikage rolled to his right as another stream came at his as he leaned back, and with a leap once again put himself into the air.

"This is troublesome," he said calmly while slashing away several more streams. "I see I'll have to take this up a notch with you." Raikage then began making several signs with his left hand while his right still grasped his sword.

"Ninjutsu, huh?" said Chizome with an air of respect. "Very good, Raikage-sama!"

"Ninpou: Gokenbu!" (Ninja art: thunderous sword dance)

Raikage fell instantly towards the ground at an unbelievable speed and sliced into the ground with full force. Huge boulders of earth shattered and flew into the air as a mighty crack sped like lightning towards Chizome with the sound of crashing thunder.

"Impressive…" muttered Chizome, and he leapt into the air to avoid falling into the cavernous fracture below. "You're better than Kankokage, that's for sure." At this moment the streams were disrupted due to Chizome's movements, and Raikage saw an opening, smiled, and leapt into the air as well towards Chizome. Chizome was taken by surprise, and did not have his counter ready. Raikage, on the other hand, was ready to take him out.

"Truly amateur," said Raikage, and he swung his sword at Chizome.

"Gaah!" screamed Chizome as the sword connected with his side, passing through his body and bifurcating him. His upper and lower body halves fell to the ground independently, and Raikage landed upon the ground with a feeling of victory.

"You were all talk, Chizome," he said, looking down at the severed body, blood covering his sword. "I would say 'better luck next time', but…" Raikage stopped short as the two halves of Chizome's body turned redder and redder, until they became pure red and fluid, falling and dispersing upon the ground.

"Blood clone…" said Jago, his voice now showing admiration. "That is amazing…"

"What is this?" asked Raikage, looking from side to side as well as up in the air for Chizome. "Where did you go?" Raikage then began to hear a faint hissing noise that grew louder and louder with each passing second.

"Again, that was an impressive move," said the voice of Chizome, seemingly from nowhere. Raikage gritted his teeth and held his sword even tighter, but it was then that he noticed it – his sword was corroding away where the blood coated it.

"What the…?" gasped Raikage. Within seconds his sword was completely eaten away, leaving only an empty hilt in his hands, and then he began to feel his skin burning where Chizome's blood had splattered upon him during the previous fight. "Gaah! It burns! What the hell is this?!"

"Heh, heh, heh…" laughed Chizome's voice cruelly. Raikage then looked on with horror as he cringed in pain as Chizome climbed up from the fracture, his body covered in dust and dirt. "When you sent that fissure towards me, I sent my clone into the air while I hopped down into it. True, it wasn't a pleasant experience, and it hurt quite a lot, but you are about to endure far worse." Chizome got up onto the ground level, brushed off the dust from his sleeves (simultaneously covering it with blood), and thrust his hands in Raikage's direction. Two streams of blood shot out from his hands and covered Raikage's body in dripping red fluid.

"GAAAAH!!" screamed Raikage as the blood sizzled upon his skin, mists of wretched vapor rising up from his body.

"Like certain other Stone ninja, I am able to manipulate and extend magnetic fields; by controlling the activity of the iron components of the blood, I am able to control its acidity," said Chizome with an unusually pleasant voice. "Therefore I can take normal blood, and turn it into a potent acid that can devour anything."

"But his technique should have a terrible effect upon his body," said Kira softly, and Jago looked over at him.

"That much cellular creation…" pondered Jago. "At the end of this battle, he won't be able to move for weeks…"

"Raikage-sama, thank you," said Chizome, lowering his arms and hunching over in exhaustion. "You have restored my companions' faith in me…" Chizome trailed off as he looked closer at Raikage's smoldering corpse.

"What?" asked Jago. "Substitution?"

"Damn it…" Chizome gasped as he saw what he thought was Raikage's body dissolve away into a brown pile of goo.

"Here he comes," said Kira softly. "I just didn't have the heart to tell Chizome that one was a clone."

"You knew?" asked Jago. Kira nodded in the affirmative.

"His chakra flow was unusual," he continued. "I could tell it was a shadow clone right from the start…I just wondered how long it would take Chizome to notice."

"Good, then he'll die here," said Jago defiantly. "It will be nice not having to deal with him anymore."

Chizome tried to move, but his body seemed too battered and worn from his technique to do more than shake. Raikage then stepped out from the same shadow his clone had emerged from before, his sword still intact, and his body unblemished.

"You defeated my clone," said Raikage as Chizome continued to shake as he looked upon his still-living foe. "That means you are a skilled ninja, worthy of battle. It is a shame you weren't an ally of the Country of Lightning…you would have made a fantastic assassin." Raikage continued walking towards the shuddering Chizome, who now fell to his hands and knees.

Raikage rushed at him, kicking him in to the air, then jumping up and punching him, slamming Chizome into the ground. Chizome then attempted once again to stand, but again ended up on his hands and knees in exhaustion.

"I'm s-s-such a f-f-fool…" said Chizome in a strained whisper. Raikage now stood directly above Chizome and placed the blade of his sword gently upon his neck.

"I knew what that technique would do to your body, because I have seen similar jutsus before," said Raikage with a long, deep breath. "Tsunade-sama's mitotic regeneration technique leaves her weak and frail for days, and use of soldier pills can have the same effect due to overexerting the body's natural flow of chakra. I cannot imagine what measures you have taken to achieve such chakra storage, but I'm afraid your life must end here. Goodbye, Chizome." Chizome slowly turned his head to look up at Raikage, who now raised his sword into the air.

"No…" growled Chizome. Raikage swung his sword down at Chizome's neck, and with a spray of blood his head fell to the ground, followed by his limp lifeless body.

"So that's it…" said Jago. "Chizome is finally dead, isn't he Kira? Kira?" Jago looked over at Kira, who had a slight grin on his face.

"Raikage is going to die in a matter of seconds," said Kira softly, though his voice was full of wicked contentment.

"What?!" gasped Jago.

"You were a worthy foe," said Raikage, bowing his head towards Chizome's lifeless body, and he turned to face Kira and Jago. "Now you two will feel my wrath! Prepare yourselves!"

"Kira?" asked Jago with considerable concern.

"Just watch," replied Kira. "Chizome's chakra and emotion are surrounding Raikage even as we speak." Beyond them a low rumble began to sound, and Raikage began looking around wildly.

"What is that?" he asked. The rumbling became more pronounced, and soon grumbling, growling words became mingled with it.

"Chijutsu! Rakumeichiken!" (Blood Art: bloody sphere of death)

A shell of dark, red blood instantly appeared and completely surrounded Raikage, cutting off any routes of escape and leaving him in complete darkness inside.

"What?! Let me out!" screamed Raikage, but Chizome's response only served to give Raikage even greater panic.

"You were right before," growled Chizome's voice through the darkness. "I do make a fantastic assassin. Chijutsu: yarichi no jutsu." (Blood art: bloody spear technique)

"No…no!" screamed Raikage.

Outside the sphere, all was silent as Kira and Jago looked onward at the sphere of blood. Chizome was nowhere to be seen, neither could any sounds be heard within the sphere.

"I don't get it," said Jago. "Where is Chizome? Is that headless body just a clone What's going on?"

"It is difficult to see though that sphere," replied Kira, his eyes opened wide as he peered over the scene. "The blood is overflowing with chakra, and filled to its limit with hatred and angry emotions…I can't see another Chizome though..."

"If you can't see him, does that mean he's dead?" asked Jago.

"Fool," said Kira, shaking his head in shame. "Can the dead still fight with the living?"

"I guess not…" replied Jago slowly.

"Therefore Chizome must still be alive," continued Kira. "And if the chakra flows are not deceiving me, then Chizome's head and body are still alive…but incredible power seems to be pouring out of it, as though all of his chakra has been multiplied tenfold!"

"This is Chizome?" asked Jago quietly, turning his head back to the blood sphere. The sphere then began to crumble down like dried mud, and soon it was complete fallen, Raikage's embattled body lying crumpled upon the ground. He looked as though he had been impaled by spears in several non-vital areas with frightening precision.

"Look at that…" gasped Jago. "Chizome was able to do it after all!"

"No," said Kira. "Raikage is still alive."

"What?" responded Jago, and then he saw something quite disturbing: Chizome's headless body stood up.

""Damn it!" shouted Chizome's head, still resting upon the ground. His body began feeling around blindly with his hands. "I'm over here, you idiot! Jago! Come put my head back on!"

"What in the hell?" said a completely bewildered Jago.

"Jago, are you deaf?" shouted Chizome angrily.

"Just like Hidan…" observed Kira. "No…not quite." Jago walked over and picked up Chizome's head, now spewing forth profanities, and placed it upon the bloody stump of Chizome's neck. The skin of the neck began to climb up onto his head, and in a few seconds it looked as though Chizome hadn't even lost his head to begin with.

"But Hidan never accomplished that…" continued Kira. "So you can attach severed limbs…even your own head…impressive…"

"Damn it, Jago!" shouted Chizome. "It hurts to have your head cut off! Why didn't you come over sooner!?"

"Sorry, Chizome," replied Jago. "But I have to admit I am really impressed. How did you survive having your head cut off?"

"I had blood streaming across the ground from my body to my head, and maintained the nerve control between my brain and body with my chakra," said Chizome. "Believe me, it isn't as easy as it sounds. He isn't dead by the way; Raiko made me promise to bring him back alive so that he could deal with him."

"I figured," said Jago. "So you'll be taking him?"

"Yeah, you two go on without me," replied Chizome, and at that moment the exhaustion really kicked in. Chizome collapsed to the ground, his breathing fast and erratic.

"Idiot," said Jago. "You overdid it. You won't be able to move for weeks now."

"Whatever," gasped Chizome between breaths. "I'll be fine in a few hours. I used a lot of the blood from the people killed in the explosion instead of my own."

"Very impressive…" muttered Kira. Beyond them in the rubble, several Cloud ninjas looked onward in horror.

"They beat Raikage?" asked one in complete shock.

"No way…" muttered another.

"We have to send word to the other nations," said a third. "Build up our alliances before they take notice of our weakness and destroy us!"

"But with Raikage defeated…" started the first. "We have no leverage. The other four countries will ravage out land!"

"We should evacuate the city then," said the second. "And head towards the capital to make a final stand."

"That's the only choice we have," said the first. "But in the end I think we're all going to die." With that, the several ninja vanished, heading back into the city.

"Once you have your strength back, we'll continue," said Kira to Chizome. "We'll stand by to make sure Raikage doesn't escape, but once you're ready, we'll be leaving you."

"S-sounds g-good…" said Chizome slowly, and he closed his eyes and fell unconscious from exhaustion.

"Damn it, Chizome…" muttered Jago under his breath. "If I would have known you were this powerful…I don't think I can defeat you…"

"Why such sad emotion, Jago?" asked Kira, who was now seated upon the ground a few feet away from the unconscious and heavily scarred Raikage.

"What are you talking about?" asked Jago.

"You have sorrow seeping out of your body," continued Kira. "I can see it. Believe it or not, it is a dark, woeful blue."

"You and those damn tenmongan eyes…" muttered Jago. "Fine. Since I can't hide anything from you, I will tell you. I am jealous of Chizome."

"Jealous?" asked Kira. "That is very unlike you, Jago-san."

"You know what?" said Jago shortly, turning away from Kira. "I'm done talking to you."

"Sounds good to me," replied Kira. "Tetsuma will be happy to hear about Chizome's true powers." These words did not do well with Jago; though he marketed himself to be self-reliant and unaffected by others, he had secretly wanted Tetsuma, the leader of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers, to respect and acknowledge him – a fact that he knew was not the case.

_They'll learn to respect me soon enough,_ he thought to himself, looking up into the smoke-filled night sky. _I'll show them what a ninja really can do._

--

"What?!" exclaimed Tsunade as Daimiki the osprey told her the news.

"I swear it is the truth," responded Damiki. "Akira and the others are heading straight to the Brine Country to deal with Dakatsu, but no one as of yet is heading for the Country of Lightning."

"Shizune!" commanded Tsunade. "Send word for Neji Hyuga, Chouji Akimichi, Ino Yamanka, and Sai! Also summon Kiba Inazuka, Shino Aburame, Tenten, Konohamaru Sarutobi, and Rock Lee. And find out where the hell Kakashi and Guy are! Bring them here immediately!"

"U-um, yes Hokage-sama!" stammered Shizune, and she disappeared into a cloud of dust.

"Damn it all…" muttered Tsunade. "Just when I thought things were going to turn out all right in the world, THIS has to happen. I thought Kankokage-sama said there would be several more days until the ninja reached the Country of Lightning?"

"It appears they are riding on the backs of the Ravens of the Blight," answered Daimiki.

"What? That's not possible…" said Tsunade, turning and looking out her window in the night sky above Konoha. "No one has ever summoned one of them before…"

"It appears someone has," replied Daimiki.

"I need you to do a favor for me," said Tsunade after a moment. "Fly to the Village of Sand, and inform Kazekage-sama in what has happened, and ask for his advice and support. Can you do that?"

"It will be done, Hokage-sama," said Daimiki, who then leapt up and flew out of the window and into the sky.

"The world seems to be on fire…" observed Tsunade, pulling out a small bottle of Sake and taking a swig from it. "The Country of Water will respond violently as soon as they hear the Brine has gone to war with the Lightning…damn it all…"

--

Meanwhile, in the Country of Brine, the Domain of Dakatsu was darkened. No torches were lit, and no guards were to be seen; in fact, the entire village was empty except for two individuals walking down the road towards the gate. One was Dakatsu Tetsuwan, dressed very finely in his expensive and gaudy robes and jewels, though the other was hidden in the shadows, the moonlight only illuminating his body below his torso. His clothing was like that of the other ninjas: dark, loose, and neat, and he wore a cloak with sleeves like Kira, though his portayed a large symbol sewn in silvery thread on his back:  
(symbol is Japanese for "God")

"So," said Dakatsu in a cheery voice. "How is the mission proceeding?"

"Well," replied the shadowed ninja in a soft, deep voice.

"Hmm! That is good to hear!" said Dakatsu. "Again, thank you for getting rid of Akira for me. It really does make things easier."

"You are a dishonorable man," said the ninja bluntly.

"What is this?" asked Dakatsu in disbelief. "I hired your group to start a war and to kill Akira! You should not be saying such things of your master."

"Hmph…" grunted the ninja. "'Master' you say? How impudent…"

"Well, I'm sure you have your reasons for saying that," continued Dakatsu. "Truly, you have the most talented group of thieves I have ever-…" The ninja immediately turned and grabbed Dakatsu by the collar, picking him up off the ground a couple inches and forcing Dakatsu to look at the ninja's face.

"We are not thieves…" said the ninja slowly, his voice low and full of rage. Dakatsu looked into the ninja's eyes, his irises plain and pale gray, Dakatsu's body shaking and his lip trembling.

"I…I didn't mean that…!" stammered Dakatsu with a fake smile.

"You are also a liar," said the ninja. "We took this job because you promised us hidden riches of the Brine, riches that not even I knew of, but now things have changed."

"W-what?" gasped Dakatsu, now beginning to sweat. "You can't change the contract!"

"The Brine has no riches anymore, thanks to your slothful lifestyle and dishonorable ways," said the ninja. "You intended to steal riches from the countries you would have us attack, and pay us that way…"

"That's a lie!" said Dakatsu, but the ninja shook his head.

"You are a lie," he said softly. "I should end your life here, and claim the spoils of war for myself and my organization."

"N-no!" stammered Dakatsu, now fighting to be released.

"I think I will kill you," said the ninja. "But I would like the others to be here to see it. There fore I will take you as my prisoner…unless you decide to make your being alive worth my while." Dakatsu's eyes were wide with fear, but the ninja's last words gave him a little courage.

"You can have a portion of my country as your own!" said Dakatsu quickly. "The northern half, in fact! There are no salty lakes or flats in the north, only fine mountains and clean rivers, all the way until the ocean!"

"You offer me land?" said the ninja slowly. "I don't need land."

"Or…or…" stammered Dakatsu, looking up and down to the right for an answer. "What about…what about this! You can have the Three Mountain Village as well! In fact, you can be the new Kankokage since Akira is dead!"

"You don't know that he is dead," said the ninja. "And that village is so small, it is practically worthless."

"Well, what do you want from me? I'll give you anything! Please!"

"Anything?" asked the ninja.

"Even my entire country!" cried Dakatsu.

"Very well, I will tell you what I want," said the ninja, putting Dakatsu back on the ground. "But if you do not comply, I will not hesitate in killing you."

"Whatever you ask of me, I swear it will be done," said Dakatsu, bowing his trembling head to the ninja, who then smiled.

"I want you to travel to the Country of Fire, and kill the entire Hyuga clan, every last man, woman and child, no matter how young."

"W-what?" gasped Dakatsu. "But that's your own family, Tetsuma!"

"Take what ever measures you need," continued Tetsuma Hyuga. "Hire ninja if you must. But kill them all. Do this, and I will let you live. Fail, and I will end your life." Dakatsu looked into Tetsuma's eyes with horror.

_Is this the same Tetsuma I adopted into my schemes?_ thought Dakatsu, his thought falling back into the day in which he first came across the young boy, scared witless and hundreds of miles away from his home. He was a handsome child, but what Dakatsu saw most in him was his byakugan, his ability to see things that shouldn't have been seen. Indeed, much of Dakatsu's success in pilfering away the power and riches of his cousin Araiguma was due to Tetsuma's skill. His existence had been a secret; only Dakatsu knew of Tetsuma's life in the Country of Brine. Not even Akira knew that the missing child of the Hyuga clan was Dakatsu's right hand, his eyes, ears, and his weapon.

"Tetsuma…" said Dakastu quietly.

"You took me in, but you only have used me," said Tetsuma coldly. "But now things have changed, the tide has turned, and now I am the master. Now, will you obey my command, or should I end your life here?"

"D-don't use the Ikemasen Byakugan on m-me!" stammered Dakatsu. "I will go, and destroy the Hyuga family of the Country of Fire."

"Do not attempt to run away," said Tetsuma. "I will find you no matter where you try and run. Now go! Don't let me see your face in this country again until your mission is complete!" Dakatsu turned and ran off towards his home, and Tetsuma smiled.

_No matter what happens, Dakatsu and the Hyuga will be destroyed…how marvelous…_

**New for Saturday, 10/11/08: GAARA'S INSIGHT – TSUNADE'S RISK – ARRIVAL IN THE COUNTRY OF BRINE!**

**BONUS! Please note that the next chapter will be released next Saturday.** This is being done because I have a HUGE 50-page report due Thursday for my Chemical Engineering Laboratory class, and I will be spending the week finishing it up. So please, no hate-posts. To make up for the delay, there will be an HOUR-LONG WEEKEND SPECIAL on Saturday and Sunday.

On another note, some of you may be wondering how I have the time to work on my degree, apply for grad school, take care of my wife, AND write this fanfic twice a week. The answer: I'm not so sure myself. But so far it has been working just fine

**NEW FEATURE! Get to know your bad guys!**  
• Shirokuma Mitzigami: Known as the "bear-ninja", Shirokuma hails from a now-dead clan of the Fire Country that was once a fierce enemy of the Inuzuka clan (Kiba's clan). Like the Inuzuka, the Mitzigami clan specialized in Beast Techniques and animal companions. However, instead of continuing one's life with their animal companion, at the age of 18, ninja were squared off against their animals in horrifying death matches. The victor would claim the chakra and strengths of the loser through a forbidden Chakra Theft technique. If the animal were to prevail they too would obtain the strength and chakra of their former masters, but they would be immediately exiled and hunted. It is rumored that this is how the Onba came about. Shirokuma uses the power of his former bear companion with frightening efficiency. He is primarily a Taijutsu user, though he does have some limited ninjutsu techniques.


	11. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10: GAARA'S INSIGHT – TSUNADE'S RISK – ARRIVAL IN THE COUNTRY OF BRINE**

**Super special early release! Contentment for all!**

--

The morning sun still hadn't risen over the desert mountains, but already the sky was beginning to lighten, quenching out the starlight along the horizon little by little as dawn approached. Gaara, the Kazekage of the Village of Sand, slept comfortably in his bed in this peaceful dawn; since the Bijuu's extraction, sleep seemed so inviting that he often slept for days on end. Never in his life had he thought a simple act such as sleep could bring him so much peace.

It was as Gaara thus slept that a scratching sound and a light thud sounded from his windowsill. Unphased, Gaara continued to sleep, an awkward smile stretched across his face.

"Kazekage-sama," said the osprey Daimiki. "Kazekage-sama, wake up." Gaara stirred a little and opened one eye barely.

"What…?" he grumbled.

"Please wake up, Lord Gaara." Gaara slowly sat up in his bed and stretched. He then looked at his window with Daimiki perched upon the sill.

"What…who are you?" he asked.

"I am Daimiki, servant of Kyodaimokin," replied Daimiki. "I have urgent matters so share with you."

Gaara squinted his eyes a little and stretched again, this time followed by a large, loud yawn.

"I wasn't aware that you had taken to sleeping in," said Daimiki after a moment. "I thought that the Bijuu inside of you prevented it."

"The Dire Ospreys don't know?" muttered Gaara. "I thought everyone knew by now… I haven't had that wretched thing inside of me for years now. Once it left, sleep became my respite and refuge."

"That is good to hear," said Daimiki. "I will make sure that Kyodaimokin knows of your good fortune." Gaara looked down at the sheets as the image of Chiyo the Elder flashed across his mind.

"Now, what did you have to tell me?"

--

Gaara walked slowly down the sandy road as the morning sun finally breached the horizon, slowly and slightly illuminating the sandstone buildings of the Village of Sand. Daimiki was perched on his right shoulder, whispering into his ear as he listened, absorbing every word.

"…and they seem to be traveling by means of Ravens," said Daimiki at the end of his lengthy explanation of the situation.

"Karasu," said Gaara softly.

"Come again?" asked Daimiki. "Yes, Ravens." ("Karasu" is Japanese for crow and raven)

"No," said Gaara calmly. "The person summoning the Ravens is Karasu Sashimi, a member of the Sashimi clan of our village."

"Sashimi…" muttered Daimiki. "They must be powerful summoning ninjas to be able to command the Ravens of the Blight."

"Not exactly," said Gaara. "The Sashimi clan is not made of great ninjas, nor have they ever been. Their summoning ability is weak, and they do not have any ninja among their clan. They work in the village as civilians."

"But how…?" asked Daimiki.

"Seven years ago, Karasu, the daughter of the head family of the Sashimi clan, disappeared from the village. She was the very first ninja of the Sashimi clan, and her summoning ability was second-to-none. Her goal upon becoming a ninja was to summon the Ravens – but it was never thought that she actually accomplished it."

"What happened to her?" asked Daimiki.

"She began to act erratically," said Gaara. "She started to sneak out of the city during the night, and it was later discovered that she was carrying out unauthorized assassinations, and was sentenced to death by my father for her crimes. The execution never occurred though, for she simply disappeared after her sentencing. A search was made, but absolutely no trace of her could be found. What could not be explained at the time however was the distance she seemed to travel in the night for her crime. Overnight assassinations in the Country of Stone, Lightning, Demon, and some even further. But now, you have given me the answer."

"Hiren, the lord of the Ravens, is unrivaled in speed of flight," observed Daimiki. "Even Lady Kyodaimokin is no match for Hiren's swiftness."

"Indeed," said Gaara, stopping at the door of one of the buildings. He lifted his arm and knocked, and after a moment the door opened with Temari standing behind it, rubbing her eyes.

"Gaara…what are you doing here?" she asked through a yawn.

"Grab your fan and go get Kankuro," replied Gaara. "There is something we need to do."

--

"Ha ha ha! Behold…the POWER…of y-youth!!"

Might Guy laughed rudely and stumbled around the bar in a disoriented manner, a bottle of Sake in his hand and his other fist pumping. Kakashi, meanwhile, was seated quietly at their table with his forehead in his hands.

"Why do I even hang out with you, Guy?" he muttered as he sipped his drink.

"Why?!" asked Guy in a thoroughly drunk tone. "Why, you ask?"

"I'm just glad you aren't like Lee when he gets drunk," said Kakashi.

"Y-you're just…jealous, aren't you Ka-ka-ka…KASHI! Ha ha ha!!" said Guy coarsely. "You're jealous cause N-Naruto was …the last one to become Chunin…aren't you? HA! I can see it in your eye! You're jealous of me! HA HA HA!"

"Guy…" said the annoyed Kakashi. "Sit down, Guy. You're embarrassing me." Guy began to laugh harshly again, and he took a large swig of Sake, ultimately emptying the bottle to a few drops. Behind him near the door, Shizune's head popped in and perused the surroundings.

"Guy! Kakashi!" exclaimed Shizune. "Hokage-sama wants to meet with you immed-…!" Shizune was cut off by Guy, who was now stumbling towards her in a drunken stupor.

"Shizune!" he said rather loudly. "Shizune, Shizune, Shizune…have I ever told you…that I think you're HOT?!"

"Um, Guy-san?" said Shizune, recoiling a bit. "Are you drunk?"

"Oh ho ho!" he chortled. "The optimal youth and attractiveness that I offer can be turned down by no woman! Ha ha ha!!" Guy lifted his head in laughter, and Shizune used the opportunity to sneak past him. She deftly stepped around him, and sat down with Kakashi, whose exposed eye spoke volumes of his anguish and embarrassment.

"Kakashi, Tsunade has been looking everywhere for you," said Shizune sternly. "Where have you been?"

"Yeah…" said Kakashi slowly, taking another sip of Sake and closing his eye. "Truthfully, it has been the best couple of days, so Guy thought he would try to cheer me up."

"What's wrong?" asked Shizune. Back near the door, Guy had stopped laughing and was now looking from side to side, asking everyone around where the nice young lady went.

"Anko and I…" started Kakashi. "I would rather not talk about it, if you don't mind."

"I see," said Shizune. "Anyway, get Guy and meet Hokage-sama at her place. There is a considerable amount of trouble brewing, and she needs your help."

"Trouble?" asked Kakashi.

"To put it very lightly, yes," replied Shizune, who then stood up and again snuck deftly around Guy and out the door. Kakashi took another sip, sat back, and sighed.

"Can't trouble just avoid me for a little while?" he asked himself softly. "First Anko gets all angry and moody with me, and now this."

"Kakashi!" said Guy, now in a very serious voice, the drunkenness seemingly gone from his voice. "Why was Shizune here?"

"Done already?" asked Kakashi in a half-surprised voice. "How did you get over being drunk so quickly?"

"Ha! In my extensive and youthful training, my body has become especially resilient to the lasting effects of alcohol! And in that, I am better than you, Kakashi!"

"What was that?" asked Kakashi in a mundane, bored voice. "All I heard was white noise."

"Damn it!" cried Guy, tears now streaming down his face. "Why are you so cool? It infuriates me!"

"Come off it, Guy," said Kakashi, now standing up and placing some ryous on the table. "Let's get going before Tsunade finds out where we've been."

"She'll punish us?"

"No, she'll want to join us," replied Kakashi, and together he and Guy left the bar.

--

Kakashi and Guy stepped into Tsunade's office to find themselves surrounded with younger ninja. Neji was there, along with Lee and Tenten, to whom Guy gave a mighty thumb's up.

"Good," said Tsunade, leaning back in her chair. "Everyone is here. You are being sent on a new mission, potentially S-rank or even higher." Everyone in the room except Shizune, Kakashi, and Guy gasped (Guy instead smiled enormously).

"What is going on?" asked Tenten. "Is there a war or something?"

"From the sound of it, yes," answered Tsunade. "Last night the Country of Lightning was attacked by an organization of dangerous ninja known as the Twelve Cloaked Daggers. They are masquerading as Three Mountain ninja from the Country of Brine, and we know that Dakatsu, the feudal lord of the Country of Brine, is behind this."

"Twelve Cloaked Daggers?" asked Kakashi. "I've never heard of that organization before."

"Neither had I," continued Tsunade. "We still don't know what their intentions are, but one thing is certain: if this gets out of hand, the world may again find itself immersed in complete war."

"So what are you asking us to do?" asked Neji.

"I will sending you out in four-man squads," replied Tsunade. "Three groups in total. Kakashi, you will team up with Konohamaru, Ino, and Chouji and go to the Village in the Clouds and ascertain the situation. If the enemy is there, you are to engage and destroy them if you feel it is necessary. Use your judgement; these ninja were nearly able to kill the Kankokage himself on three separate occasions."

"Akira? Really?" asked Kakashi in disbelief. "These guys must be good…"

"Guy," continued Tsunade. "You will team up with Neji, Tenten, and Lee. Your mission is to infiltrate the Country of Water. The Country of Brine has an alliance with them, and there is the possibility of them moving against the Country of Lightning. You are to ascertain the situation there as well, and meet with Mizukage to inform him of the true situation. Hopefully we can reach him before it is too late."

"Yes!" said Guy emphatically.

"Shizune!" said Tsunade, and behind her Shizune jumped a little.

"Y-yes, Hokage-sama?" she replied.

"You will team up with Sai, Kiba, and Shino," said Tsunade. "Make your way to the Country of Lightning with Kakashi's team. Since that is the current battleground, we may need two squads. Your group has many talents that may come in use."

"But Hokage-sama…!"

"Shizune, I will be fine," replied Tsunade. "The village still has most of its Jonin and Chuunin nearby. If something happens here, we'll be ready for it. Your job is to fulfill this mission."

"Y-yes, Hokage-sama!" agreed Shizune.

"I must warn you all before you leave," continued Tsunade. "These ninja are dangerous, and their techniques are still a mystery. Whatever you do, do not underestimate this enemy."

The group of twelve all said "yes", and with the sweep of Tsunade's arm they all vanished, leaving her alone in her office.

_Is this the right choice?_ she thought. _I wonder what Jiraiya would do in this situation…or the Third…or the Fourth…damn, I hate being alone._

Tsunade then reached into her desk, pulled out a bottle of Sake, and began to drink.

--

"Damn it, Chizome!" cursed Jago. A small path had formed near the gate of the Village in the Clouds where he had been pacing back and forth during the night. Kira was seemingly asleep on the ground, an unusual small grin on his face. "You said a few hours! You've ended up taking all night! Look! The sun's coming up!"

"Shut up, Jago," said Chizome softly, his voice still strained. A few feet away from where he sat lay Raikage, still unconscious and badly wounded.

"If you don't hurry, he'll die before Raiko can get to him," continued Jago. The city around them was eerily silent; all the residents had fled upon learning the Raikage was defeated.

"I know that," replied Chizome. "I'm secretly hoping he loses patience and comes here first. That would really make my day."

"He probably will," said Kira, his eyes still closed. "He was pretty pissed off about having to follow Akira yesterday, and I figured he would find a way here to kill Raikage himself. Those Ravens are fast, too; I'm sure he'll be here any second now."

"Don't be so sure, Kira," said Jago defiantly. "Your damn tenmongan doesn't see everyth-…!" Jago began to choke, stifling his words. His eyes grew large as he looked into Kira's angry eyes, the tenmongan marks piercing into his emotions. Kira had moved so quickly that Jago hadn't even seen it, and now Kira's hand was clenched tightly against Jago's throat.

"Jago," said Kira softly and menacingly. "I am only seventeen years old, and you are only sixteen. We together are the youngest members of this organization, which to me brings some measure of pride. However, I will not hesitate to crush your throat, thus ending your life in this pitiful existence awash in misery. Do not insult the tenmongan again." Kira released Jago, who fell back and onto the ground gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry…" said Jago after a moment.

"What?! You killed him already!?"

Kira and Jago turned to the broken rubble that was once the gate to see the white-haired Raiko in complete shock.

"No, Raiko-san," said Kira. "Chizome made sure to leave him alive." Raiko ran over and knelt down next to Raikage and looked him over for a few moments.

"Chizome did this?" observed Raiko. "These are acid burns…how in the world did Chizome beat this guy?!"

"Chizome has apparently been holding out on our organization," said Kira. "He has power that even I have a hard time fathoming."

"Is that so," said Raiko. "You guys can go on ahead. I will stay here with Raikage for a moment, and when I'm done I'll catch up to you."

"What?" said Chizome. "You're joining us?"

"Yes," he replied. "Master Tetsuma has sent Kurayami, Itami, and Ona to the Country of Water, and Karasu is back with him, along with Lina and Daisuke."

"Karasu is always with him…" said Kira slowly and softly. "So I take it you failed in your mission?"

"Yeah," said Raiko. "Those damn Leaf ninja are pretty good; they nearly killed Daisuke."

"Daisuke is a loser," said Jago. "He thinks he's all special with his his father's rinnegan eyes, but he still can't even control elements that well. Lina is way better than he is in combat."

"He still is the best assassin we have, though," said Raiko. "Anyway, Shirokuma and the Three Mountain ninja are moving by foot towards the capital. Let's finish up here and move on to the next target."

"Why by foot?" asked Chizome. "Why not fly with the Ravens?"

"Don't ask me, it's some stupid politics thing with the Ravens," answered Raiko. "Anyway, as soon as we're done here, Karasu will convince them to help us a little more. Until then, we're bound to the earth. Are you ready to go, Chizome?"

"Yeah, I should be able to move now," he replied, struggling but succeeding in standing up.

"Good," said Raiko. "Now get out of here. Leave me alone with him." The other three leapt away, leaving Raiko alone with Raikage. After a moment of peering at his battered face, Raiko began speaking to him.

"Raikage," he said. "Raikage, wake up." Raiko tapped Raikage's face, and he bean to stir, at which point his eyes slowly opened.

"R-Raiko?" he whispered in a voice so faint it could barely be discerned. "Raiko…is that…you?"

"Yes, it's me," he replied.

"Y-you're alive?"

"Very much alive," said Raiko with a smile. "And in much better shape than you are."

"W-where did they…?" began Raikage.

"Shh…" said Raiko with his finger at his mouth. "Don't say any more, Raikage-sama. I am very glad to see you are still alive, but I am disappointed that you let Chizome take you out like this. I thought you were supposed to be legendary. I had always idolized you, but now…I don't know what to think."

"R-Raiko…please…" whispered Raikage.

"I know," said Raiko with a reassuring tone. "I know. Don't worry, I will end your life soon." Raikage began to squirm as his eyes opened a little wider.

"Raiko…no…!"

"You betrayed me, Raikage-sama," said Raiko, his tone now changing from kind to cruel. "You and the feudal lord betrayed me and framed me for my father's murder, when all along it was you."

"We…had no…choice…" stammered Raikage, his gaze now wandering.

"You told the entire village that I was a murderer, when all I wanted was to follow in your footsteps and become a great ninja, and still you say you had no choice? Could it be that since you couldn't possibly be taken from your position, you had no choice but to blame the son for his father's death – which I know full well was your doing? You were enraged that he rejected your command to assassinate the Hokage of the Fire Country, and in your rage you slit his throat."

"Lies….all lies…" said Raikage. Raiko shook his head.

"No, not lies," he said. "Do you know how I know that, Raikage-sama?" Raiko then leaned closer to Raikage's face and began to whisper.

"I saw it all with my own eyes."

Raiko smiled and put his hand over Raikage's heart and gave a heavy sigh.

"So long I've waited for this moment," he said in a melancholy tone. "But you know what? It was all worth it just to see that look in your swollen eyes. Good-bye, old friend. I'm sure very soon we'll meet in Hell, and together we can battle for eternity."  
Intense sparks buzzed and shot up from Raiko's hand and Raikage became limp, his eyes still open, but now his body very still. Raiko stood up and walked away, a smile still upon his face, but now a single tear falling down across his cheek.

_Damn it, Raikage_, he thought to himself. _You made me do it, you know. It's all your fault._ Raiko then walked over to a pile of rubble about twenty yards off, sat down, put his face in his hands, and began to weep.

--

Kyodaimokin had a good wind behind her. Whereas the journey to Konoha took three days, the journey back to the Brine Country had taken only twelve hours.

"Amazing speed, Kyo," said Akira, patting her gently.

"Amazing wind," she replied. "I felt as though the gods were pushing me along." Behind on Kyodaimokin's back, Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Hinata were looked to be all asleep.

"We should be to the Domain in a few minutes," said Akira. "Things will only get hairy from here on out."

The party continued along across the morning-lit countryside and soon they came upon three great mountains, at the foot of which sat a small village. Akira looked down longingly at the town, but the closer and closer they came the more horror appeared on his face.

"No…" he muttered, his eyes brimming with tears and sorrow. As Kyodaimokin flew over the village, he could see that it was burned to the ground, few structures left standing and charred earth everywhere. "They left the village, then they let it burn," he said. A lump grew tighter and tighter in his throat, and he sat down upon the back of Kyodaimokin's neck.

"They're still alive, Akira," she said. "You saw them with your own eyes that night."

"I know, but still," he said solemnly, his sorrow now peeking through his voice. "I worked so hard to build that village, and we were all so proud of it. It was everything to us; finally, a home for the Sugiyama clan, and all the other families… and now it's gone. Gone…" Sakura stirred from her sleep as Akira said these words.

_Is Akira-san crying? Where are we?_

"Akira-kun," said Kyodaimokin gently. "There will be a new village, you will see. What burns down can be rebuilt."

_Are they talking about his village? His village was burned?_ Sakura stood up and began walking across Kyodaimokin's back towards Akira. She was able to keep her balance surprisingly well; Kyodaimokin had a special ability, in which anyone riding upon her back would be immune to any wind or aerodynamic effects of flight, no matter the speed. Sakura stepped quietly behind Akira, who now had tears streaming down his face and onto his knees.

"Akira-san," she said quietly, putting her hand on his shoulder. Akira did not hesitate to grab her hand with his own, and he held it tightly.

"Sakura," he whispered almost silently. "Thank you…"

Behind, Naruto lay quietly, his eyes closed, but secretly he was awake. He had not been able to sleep all night in fact; there was something about his battle with Raiko the day before that puzzled him.

_How did I get into Sage Mode so quickly?_ he thought to himself. _Before, I always needed a while to get it started, but yesterday it just happened. I didn't need to prepare for it or anything._ At this time Naruto finally opened his eyes. The sky above was beginning to turn lighter and blue, mingled with golds and reds in the high clouds. He then held up his right hand, the Nine-Tail ring on his index finger dully reflecting his face.  
_Could it be…Akira's ring?_

"Everyone, wake up," said Kyodaimokin. Akira let go of Sakura's hand and stood up. Not far ahead was the Domain of Dakatsu.

"We're almost there," observed Akira. "It won't be long now until we land. Everyone make sure you are ready to move out quickly as soon as we reach the ground."

"Yes!" chimed the group, all except for Shikamaru who was still asleep. Hinata tapped his shoulder lightly a few times to try and wake him, but each time he brushed her hand away.

"Leave…me…alone…Mom…" he muttered in his sleep. "Go away…"

"Shika, I'm not your mother," said Hinata. "P-please wake up." Shikamaru then opened his eyes and sat up and began to stretch.

"Here we go," said Kyodaimokin. "Everyone, hold on." Kyodaimokin then began to dive feet first at incredible speed, and within seconds she leveled out a few yards above the ground, slowed, and landed in an empty patch of ground in the middle of the large pine forest that surrounded the miles around the Domain.

"Let's go!" said Akira, and the five ninja leapt off into the trees without another word and disappeared, leaving Kyodaimokin alone.

"Good luck, Akira-kun," said the Osprey, and with a puff of smoke she vanished.

The party moved through the trees silently and quickly; each ninja felt a rush of adrenaline, steadily increasing in intensity the further along they went.

"I have to assume that whatever we face up ahead would be harder than what we faced yesterday," said Akira after a few minutes, breaking the silence.

The others did not reply; even Naruto, who usually was excited whenever a powerful new enemy was ahead, was feeling the heat.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," said Akira with a smile. Half an hour later, Akira raised his hand and the party came to a stop.

"We're here," he said quietly.

The team then spread out along the walls of the Domain, slipping in and out of the shadows to prevent being seen.

_Where is everyone?_ thought Akira. Indeed, after several minutes of reconnaissance, it was clear that the Domain was completely void of any defense – no ninja, no guards, no civilians. Shikamaru then appeared instantly next to Akira.

"All quarters of the Domain are empty from our vantage points," reported Shikamaru. From the looks of it, there hasn't been anyone in or out of this place for a few days."

"Damn," said Akira softly. "We have to go in further to make sure."

"But there's no sign…"

"We have to!" demanded Akira, and Shikamaru nodded and leapt off to tell the others.  
_If Dakatsu isn't here, then my choice to come here was a poor one, and more people will die because of it._

--

Hinata moved as quickly and silently as she could through the streets of the Domain. Ahead of her stood a large house, much larger than the others around it. Naruto and the others were exploring other areas, and as such she was alone in her investigation. She looked from side to side for a few moments, and once she ascertained that no one was a round, she sprinted towards the door of the house. It was open, enough for to slip in unnoticed and without sound.

Inside the house it was dark, but as Hinata listened she could definitely hear something up above on one of the upper floors. She softly stepped onto and up the stairs, and the higher she climbed the more she could hear the sound, now sounding like running water. Upon reaching the second-floor landing, the sound was now clear: two voices, speaking in rather unusual tones. She could tell it was a man and a woman, younger in age, and they were inside the room just before Hinata.

"Byakugan," she whispered. The veins around her eyes began to bulge with chakra, and her sight began to pierce through the doorway. Deeper into the room her vision pierced, until finally two figures appeared in a rather awkward looking position.

"What are they…?" asked Hinata in a whisper, but as soon as she did two turned their faces towards the door.

"Someone is there," said the man. Hinata gasped, her byakugan failed and disappeared, and she began to step backwards. Almost immediately the door swung open, slamming against the wall with a loud crash. Before her stood a man, shirtless, with a large scar that traversed his entire chest. His eyes were blank and pale blue…eyes very similar to Hinata's.

"You…" she gasped as the man peered down at her trembling face.

"Hinata-hime, what in the world brings you here?" asked Tetsuma Hyuga, and with that his eyes began to change. "Ikemasen Byakugan!"

**New for Sunday, 10/12/08: BYAKUGAN VERSUS BYAKUGAN! THE BATTLE OF THE DOMAIN BEGINS!  
**  
**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS! DOUBLE FEATURE**  
• **Chizome**: The self-described "blood ninja". He is a rogue ninja from the Village of Stone, and was raised to be a magnetics user – a ninja who can control and amplify magnetic fields with his chakra (Hinata fought one of these in the anime). His skill in this art is what lead him to be exiled and for the mark of death to be put on his head – Chizome's skill with magnetism has progressed to the point where he can control the iron compounds within the blood once it is freed from the body. Under his control, he can move the blood in any direction he wants, and can even change the pH of the blood to become a strong acid with his chakra. He is looked down upon by the other members of the organization…but he is the only member who Kira Maraki fears.  
• **Raiko Ikazuchi**: An outlaw from the Hidden Village in the Clouds. Raiko was once considered a champion of the village, but soon found himself hated and pursued after being blamed for his father's murder. After finding out he was framed by the Raikage and Feudal Lords themselves, he turned his back on the Country of Lightning, vowing to one day destroy them. He is a lightning elementalist, a true master and genius who strikes fear into any of the Cloud Village who hear his name. He and Kira Maraki are "best friends"…a term that each considers to be fairly loose and non-committal. Together they have one goal in mind: to destroy the world.


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11: BYAKUGAN VERSUS BYAKUGAN

**CHAPTER 11: BYAKUGAN VERSUS BYAKUGAN! THE BATTLE OF THE DOMAIN BEGINS!**

_Shorter chapter today. I am going to be on the road most of the day, and I just don't have enough time to put out a regular—size chapter. That said, I hope you enjoy this one. Bon apetit!_

--

Hinata gasped as Tetsuma's eyes changed in an instant; the blank, pale blue slates that defined his pupils now became littered with black lines and circles, much like Hinata and Neji's byakugan, but this was different. In addition to the regular byakugan in his eyes, four small, illuminated dots appeared at the cardinal edges of his irises and centers of his pupils, appearing like little lights in his eyes.

"W-what the…?" gasped Hinata as she recoiled even further back from the shirtless Tetsuma. She then noticed his forehead; there was a green X shape in the very center, though it seemed to have a large crack at the center.

"Hinata-hime…" said Tetsuma slowly. "You really were a mistake; Neji is more deserving of being the head of the clan than you. Look at you! You're standing there, looking all helpless and weak, shivering like a little girl!"

"Tetsuma nii-chan…" said Hinata in a frightened whisper, but then another sound startled her.

"But she is just a little girl, darling," said a woman's voice from the darkness of the room. "Wait…she looks a lot like you, Tetsuma."

"She is my little cousin," replied Testuma. "In fact, she is one of the reasons I left Konoha in the first place."

"Cousin, huh?" said the woman. She was definitely beautiful even to Hinata. She had long, flowing black hair, and her eyes were very, very dark, almost black. Her skin was smooth, and her face was slender and pointed, complimenting her slender and tall body. She was dressed very loosely; her clothes appeared to be hanging off from her, as though she had just barely thrown them on.

"Karasu," said Tetsuma. "There are four others outside, one of who is Akira Sugiyama. Gather Lina and Daisuke and see what you can do about them while I take care of Hinata-hime. I'll be out in a a few minutes."

"Yes, my love," said Karasu, and with that she vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Hinata and Tetsuma alone.

"You've really become a beautiful woman," said Tetsuma to Hinata, his eyes still showing the Ikemasen Byakugan. "But you are still weak. You always were, too, even as a child."

"Tetsuma nii-chan…" said Hinata softly, recalling that day when she thought her hero had left her forever…

"_Tetsuma nii-chan!" called out the young Hinata, only seven years old. She ran out from her home in Konoha after seeing Tetsuma walking by, and she was overjoyed to see him. "Nii-chan! Nii-chan!"  
_

_Tetsuma turned around and smiled at her. He was already fifteen years old, almost double her age, but he always seemed pleased to see Hinata.  
_

"_Hinata-hime," said Tetsuma with a smile. "What are you doing?"  
_

"_Nii-chan!" she said exuberantly. "I hit the target thirty times in a row with kunai! It's a __new record__ for me!" Tetsuma changed his smile to a look of surprise.  
_

"_Wow, really?" he said "Thirty times?"  
_

"_Yes!" she replied proudly. "But father said he was too busy and didn't want to see it, so I thought you would." Hinata looked up at Tetsuma, the handsome young man who looked very much like her father and Neji, only skinnier and lankier. "Please?" she asked him in as sweet a voice as she could.  
_

"_I would love to, Hinata-hime," said Tetsuma. Hinata smiled and laughed, took Tetsuma's hand and began running back to her house, pulling him along. She led him through the gardens until they reached the small clearing where she had her target set up. Sure enough, it had thirty kunai snugly fit into red circle she had painted upon the wooden post.  
_

"_See, nii-chan? See?" pressed Hinata proudly.  
_

"_That is fantastic, Hinata-hime!" said Tetsuma with another smile. "You really will make a great kunoichi!" Hinata gasped and her eyes grew wide.  
_

"_R-r-really?!" she said in shock. "Me? A great kunoichi?" Tetsuma nodded.  
_

"_The greatest of all kunoichi, I think," he said. "Greater even than the legendary Tsunade." Hinata's eyes grew even wider, though now they were brimming with tears, and Hinata ran and lunged at Tetsuma, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him tightly. Tears were now streaming down her face, and Tetsuma placed his hand softly against the back of her head.  
_

"_No one has ever said something so kind to me…" she said softly through her tears. "Not father, not Neji, not mother…nobody."  
_

"_That's just because all they see is a timid little girl who only seems to be herself when I'm around," said Tetsuma. "I've seen who you really are. You are strong, and you are a good person." Tetsuma then knelt down and looked into Hinata's eyes.  
_

"_Honest?" asked Hinata, wiping her face with the sleeve of her kimono.  
_

"_Hinata," said Tetsuma, now in a slightly more serious tone. "Don't be sad anymore. You need to be stronger, cause I might not always be around to support you."  
_

"_What are you saying, Tetsuma nii-chan?" asked Hinata confusedly. "You'll always be here with me, right?" Tetsuma smiled, but Hinata knew that something was bothering him. She could see it in his eyes…  
_

"_You will be all right," he said softly, brushing his hand across her cheek. "I promise, you will be all right." He then embraced her, and as soon as he released he vanished.  
_

"_Nii-chan!" cried Hinata. "Nii-chan! Come back! Come back!"  
_

_Tetsuma didn't come back that day, and he didn't go back to his home either. Hours turned into days, and days into weeks. Rumors were spreading that Tetsuma had betrayed the Hyuga clan and fled the village, but Hinata couldn't believe that. Night after night she would sneak out of her room and slip silently over to Tetsuma's house, only to see an empty room.  
_

_Hinata never saw Tetsuma again, and now the rumors were spreading that he had been killed. At that same moment that Hinata learned that terrible rumor, her greatest source of __confidence__ and her most beloved cousin vanished._

"Why did you leave me?" asked Hinata, a tear now welling up in her eye. "Why did you betray us?"

"It was because of you, Hinata-hime," replied Tetsuma coldly. This was no longer the same boy that Hinata had remembered, no longer the warm, kind-hearted cousin she always looked up to.

"Me?" she gasped. "But I loved you!"

"I hated you, Hinata-hime," he said flatly, causing Hinata's heart to sink. "You were the first child of the head family, chosen to be the next leader of the clan, and all I saw was weakness and fear. You were no leader, and you never will be."

"But you said that I would be a great kunoichi!" said Hinata, tears now beginning to flow. "I loved you and looked up to you! You were my hero, and you always made me feel stronger!"

"I wasn't as strong back then as I am now," he said, hurting Hinata even more. "I couldn't say to this cute little girl that she was a failure, because I didn't want her to cry and tell her father. The clan didn't look favorably upon me to begin with; I was too much of a rebel. After all, branch family members are never supposed to question the lineage and the 'rightful' heirs to the clan."

"But Tetsuma…"

"I thought the clan should have been organized differently," he continued. "But your father threatened to punish me publicly if I said anything to anyone else. So instead of fighting against fate my entire life, I decided to choose my own path, away from you, from my family, from Konoha…a new life, with new powers. I refuse to be a pawn of the head family, and now I have gained powers that they would never imagine."

"Tetsuma nii-chan…" said Hinata again, her sorrow growing, but immediately turning into fear as Tetsuma looked her straight in the eyes with the Ikemasen Byakugan.

"But I will do the Hyuga clan a favor this day," he said. "I will change the fate that they have thrust upon my fellow branch family brothers and sisters."

"N-no…" stammered Hinata, her body beginning to feel numb from fear.

"I will kill you, and throw into chaos the Hyuga line." Tetsuma began to slowly step towards Hinata, his eyes wide a full of peril, his five Ikemasn Byakugan points glowing brighter and brighter.

_He's a member of the branch family…_ thought Hinata. _If that's the case, then I can attack his brain directly and stop him!_ Hinata gathered up her courage and began to focus. Her byakugan activated, and she opened her eyes.

"Suppression!" she shouted. What happened next was a complete and horrifying surprise to her. Instead of Tetsuma falling to the ground in agony, it was she who found herself writhing upon the ground. Her mind was screaming; no matter how she moved, no matter how she thought, the pain wouldn't stop.

"Foolish little Hinata," said Tetsuma coldly, and at once the pain stopped. Hinata whimpered and shook for a moment, but then attempeted to stand back up. "I have long since broken that seal placed upon me by your father. Any attempt to assault my mind will only be reflected back at you. You have no control over me."

"T-Tetsuma…" she whispered, and Tetsuma smiled cruelly.

"Good-bye, Hinata-hime."

Hinata lurched back, her eyes widened to their maximum and her lips trembling. Her body felt as though it was being ripped away from all feeling, and slowly the world before her eyes began to swirl and churn.

"W-what is h-happening…?" she stammered fearfully. "T-Tetsuma…why?"  
Tetsuma began to fade away with the surroundings, and Hinata soon found herself in a pitch-black void.

"You are now caught in my genjutsu, Hinata-hime," said Tetsuma's voice. It seemed to emanating from all around her, without source or origin.

"Release!" said Hinata to break the genjutsu, holding her hands in the sign of dragon, but nothing happened – she was still caught in the void. She looked around in panic, then pulled out a kunai.

"That isn't going to work," said Tetsuma's voice. Hinata ignored him, and stabbed the kunai into her left thigh. She winced in pain, but as she opened her eyes, again she found herself in the void, no difference made at all.

"What is this…?" she asked in disbelief. "Genjutsu from the byakugan?"

"The forbidden Ikemasen Byakugan gives me many powers that have long been sealed away by our ancestors," said Tetsuma's voice. "You never knew how powerful our kekkei genkai was, did you, hime?" Hinata felt her body becoming tense, and soon her muscles became hardened, her body taught and trembling.

"What are you…?" she stammered. Tetsuma then appeared in front of her. He looked different from before; he was now fully clothed, wearing dark clothing and a cloak of the same material. His eyes were still manifesting the Ikemasen Byakugan, and his hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail, accenting his already pointed Hyuga face. It was surprising how much he looked like Neji and her father, almost uncanny.

"The Ikemasen Byakugan gives me the power of not only seeing the chakra flows within the body, but the ability to manipulate them without physical contact. With my own mind and power, I can manipulate your body and mind, even to the point of unavoidable persuasion. Indeed, I can even change your mindset to be along my own, and convert you from an enemy into an ally."

"B-but t-that's i-impossible!" she said, having to force every word out of her mouth. "How d-did you…?" Tetsuma smiled.

"By rejecting the fate of the Hyuga branch, and exploring my own strength in ways always forbidden by our elders," he said. "By partaking of forbidden fruits, the mind loosens the restrictions forcibly placed upon it. Like the Eight Inner Gates, the byakugan can be unlocked to reach its own potential, much like the Mangekyou Sharinagn and the full Enkyokou Tenmongan."

"Tenmongan?!" gasped Hinata. She hadn't heard that word in a long time, but she could not remember where.

"Silly little Hinata-hime," chuckled Tetsuma. "There is much in this world you still do not understand, but unfortunately you never will. You are now going to perish, Hinata-hime." Tetsuma's eye increased again in intensity, and Hinata felt as though she was being torn apart.

"GAAAAAH!" she screamed, her head whipping back and her body becoming contorted in agony. "T-Tetsuma! S-stop…it…!"

"Ha!" laughed Tetsuma. "Hime wants to be released, does she?"

"N-nii…ch-chan…." She said, her voice becoming weaker. The pain was beginning to overwhelm her, and she felt her body begin to slip away, starting from her feet and moving up her legs.

"You were the reason I had to leave the clan, Hinata-hime," said Tetsuma calmly yet cruelly. "If you hadn't been so weak and feeble, maybe I would have looked at the world a little differently. But as it is…" Hinata felt her body being wrenched again, and she screamed in agony.

"NII-CHAN!" she cried, her body now feeling as though it was being shredded. "Nii-chan! P-p-please!"

"You were the reason I have lived so many years in sorrow!" said Tetsuma, his voice becoming angrier.

_I can't let him kill me this way,_ thought Hinata through her torment. _I have to fight back…I have to break the genjutsu…I have to defeat him!_ Hinata's thoughts immediately passed to Naruto, those many years ago during the Chuunin Exam, when he told her the most important piece of advice ever. _Never give up…_

Hinata focused all of her attention, chakra, and power into her eyes and activated her kekkei genkai.

"Byakugan!" she shouted. A pulse of pain shot through her body, causing her to yelp in acute agony. Her eyes widened and throbbed; the black void before her began to vanish, and soon Tetsuma's real body began to appear, still shirtless and unkempt.

"I-I w-won't l-l-let y-you…" she said forcefully. Her byakugan began to throb even more, and she felt like something tore just behind her face.

"What?!" gasped Tetsuma. The genjutsu was broken, and Hinata fell to her knees, breathing heavily and deeply.

"I will never back down…" said Hinata softly. "No one, not even you nii-chan, can stop me. I will never, ever run away or give up. That is my nindo, my ninja way!" Hinata looked up at Tetsuma, her byakugan now different. In addition to the pulsating veins normally present in her doujutsu, she now had three bright, shining white spots in triangular positions around the edges of her irises, with a small, illuminated speck at the center of her pupils.

"That's impossible…" muttered Tetsuma. "You shouldn't be able to break the seal…you can't develop the Ikemasen Byakugan…!"

"So that's what this sensation is…" said Hinata slowly, now standing up. "I won't let you kill me, and I won't let you kill my friends!"

"I guess there is no way around it," said Tetsuma. "You have unlocked the Ikemasen Byakugan. Congratulations, Hinata-hime. You have done something that only I have achieved in generations."

Hinata was amazed at the sight that her eyes gave her. She could see not only Tetsuma's chakra streams, but also the individual cells of his body, and even the small amounts of chakra seeping out through the cell walls. She could see into his mind, and could even see his thoughts.

"No you don't!" shouted Tetsuma angrily, and Hinata felt her vision being pushed out of his mind. "You're byakugan may have improved, but it still is no match for mine!" Tetsuma then rushed at Hinata, his hands glowing with chakra. "Jyuuken!" (Gentle fist)  
Hinata leapt backwards off the landing and landed on the main floor below, standing in the classic Hyuga battle stance, with her outstretched hand beckoning for Tetsuma to join her.

"So you finally developed confidence, eh Hinata-hime?" said Tetsuma mockingly. "That is a definite improvement over the old you…who knows, maybe I could let you join my illustrious organization. Imagine: two Hyuga children, both with the Ikemasen Byakugan. Think of the possibilities, hime! Think of what we could accomplish!"

"Get down here so I can kill you!" shouted Hinata with unusual anger and confidence.

"So you are rejecting my offer?" asked Tetsuma. "My organization has the potential to surpass the old Akatsuki in power and potential. You could become part of the greatest force in this world!"

"Shut up, you traitor!" shouted Hinata.

"I guess that really is a no," said Tetsuma, closing his eyes in manufactured shame. "Very well, I will come down."

Tetsuma leaped over the railing and landed a few yards away from Hinata on the large first floor atrium. It almost seemed to be a stage for their soon-to-begin battle, and both Hyuga now assumed the Hyuga position. For a few moments it was silent, both standing still with almost imperceptible breathing. Both were within the 8 trigrams of the other, and there was no escape – one of them would likely die. Then without warning, both rushed at each other, and the fight began.

"Jyuuken!"

--

"What is going on?" asked Akira aloud. Every house and building he checked was completely empty. "Where is everyone?" Akira walked out of the house and into the street; up above in the sky, gray clouds were beginning to collect, and it looked as though it would rain fairly soon.

"Akria Sugiyama," said a woman's voice, and he turned around to see a beautiful black-haired woman walking towards him.

"What?" gasped Akira. "Who are you?"

"I am Karasu Sashimi," she replied. "My love has asked me to kill you. I am proud to be able to take your life."

--

"Damn it!" cursed Naruto, pounding his fist against the door frame of the house they had just searched. "There's no one here!"

"It sure looks like that," agreed Sakura. A few more streets away Shikamaru sighed and looked into the sky. "It looks like it will also begin to rain soon."

"What in the world?" asked a woman's voice, startling both Naruto and Sakura, and they turned to see a woman with purple hair and crazy, unpleasant eyes approaching them.

"Oh no…" muttered Sakura.

"Oh no! Ha ha!" laughed Lina Haishin. "You're still alive, little bitch. I don't know how you survived my attack, but you will not be walking away from me this time!"

--

A few streets away Shikamaru walked out of yet another mansion discouraged.

"Nobody's here," he said to himself. "We're wasting our time. We need to get to the Country of Lightning before…" Shikamaru stopped. Someone was approaching him, and the minute he looked at him he knew who it was. "Damn it!"

"You're that shadow kid who beat me before," said Daisuke Hureigatsu, his Rinnegan eyes seemingly glowing. "That really hurt, what you damn kids did before. I will not let you get away this time though." Daisuke began running towards Shikamaru, but as he did Shikamaru noticed a shadow appearing on the ground in front of him.

"Crap!" he shouted as he turned and saw another Daisuke falling towards him.

"Die!" shouted the Daisukes.

**New for Wednesday, 10/15/08: THE BATTLE OF THE DOMAIN!**

**BONUS!** I apologize for this being posted a little late. I've been driving around southeast Idaho, and internet connections and few and far between. If you read this story, you are REQUIRED by law to read Lord Gale119's story "Kira: Heir to the Heaven's Gate Eye." I have been reading it and it is fantastic (it is sort of a prequel story for this one ased on the character Kira Maraki)! (See this story ht tp/ww w.naruto wire. com/forum/viewtopic.php?f41&t927)

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
**Karasu Sashimi**: Known as the "raven ninja". The Sashimi clan is reputed to have nothing but mediocre summoning skills, and has for generations been left out of the ninja world in the Country of Wind. Karasu was the first to break this tradition, and was the first ninja in history to summon Hiren, the Dire Raven of the Blight, a demon bird whose most hated enemy is the Dire Osprey Kyodaimokin. Blessed with quick reflexes and impeccable balance, she uses the Ravens in battle, ever with the promise that together they will destroy Kyodaimokin. These Ravens are used as the primary mode of transportation by the Twelve Cloaked Daggers, allowing for quick travel across great distances. Coincidentally, there 23 lesser Ravens, giving a total of 24 Ravens of the Blight: exactly the number needed to transport the Twelve and the 12 remaining Three Mountain ninja to the Country of Lightning.  
**Tetsuma Hyuga**: The self-proclaimed leader and organizer of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers. He ran away from home in the Hyuga section of Konoha after a dispute with his clan when he was 15 years old, and was presumed dead by his family after months of searching. He traveled any way he could, attempting to get as far away from Konoha as he could. He was then found and taken in by Dakatsu Tetsuwan, who used Tetsuma's byakugan to help him in his secret thefts. His byakugan has increased in power greatly as he has matured, achieving Ikemasen Byakugan, a forbidden form of the Kekkei Genkai. This eye technique has improved exponentially his genjutsu and sensory abilities, gives him the ability to use mind persuasion, and has earned him the fear and respect of all the ninja under his command.


	13. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12: THE BATTLE OF THE DOMAIN

**CHAPTER 12: THE BATTLE OF THE DOMAIN**

Inside the Domain of Dakatsu and within the largest house of the village, two Hyuga ninja raced towards each other on the first floor, their Ikemasen Byakugans bulging, and their hands ready to strike.

"Jyuuken!" shouted both simultaneously, and the battle between Hinata and Tetsuma Hyuga began. Strike after strike was dodged by both, their hands aflame with blue chakra. Fighting thusly with Tetsuma reminded Hinata of her previous battle with Neji at the Chuunin Exams, though this foe showed much more prowess and Taijutsu skill than did Neji.

"You're very good now," said Tetsuma through heavy breaths. He smiled as he dodged several more of Hinata's attacks, while she deftly dodged his with equal precision. "I take it you and Neji have practiced a lot over the years?"

"Shut up, traitor!" said Hinata angrily. "You betrayed our family, our lineage!"

"Such anger…" observed Tetsuma, leaning back as Hinata's palm nearly brushed his nose. "Such rage…this is not the Hinata I once knew."

"You betrayed me!" shouted Hinata, tears again forming at her eyelids. "You abandoned me! I died the day you left!"

"I didn't realize I meant so much to you," said Tetsuma. "I knew you loved me, but I didn't think it was that deep."

"You were my hero!" she shouted "And you turned into this traitor…"

"Am I a traitor for wanting things to be different?" asked Tetsuma calmly. "Am I a traitor for not wanting to go along with fate like all my friends and family? If that's what you call a traitor, then we all are in some form or another."

"All of it was a lie!" screamed Hinata, sweat now dripping down her temples and off her chin. "Everything you've ever said to me was a lie! Every time you looked surprised, every smile, every hug…lies!" Hinata felt the rage inside of her growing, and her eyes began to ache causing her to squint a little.

"I see you are feeling the initial effects of the Ikemasen Byakugan," said Tetsuma, noticing her pain. "It is unfortunate that it has manifested itself here…you will soon be in too much pain to even think."

"SHUT UP!" screamed Hinata, and she intensified her attacks. Then, without warning, she hit Tetsuma in the shoulder.

"Gaah!" he cried, and Tetsuma jumped back and away from Hinata.

_I hit him…_ she thought. _I really did it!_

"Damn you, hime," growled Tetsuma. "I haven't had any need for Taijutsu in years…I can kill any enemy with the genjutsu alone – but apparently not you. You can thank your new byakugan for that."

"Then give up!" demanded Hinata. "I have the advantage over you!"

"I wouldn't say that," said Tetsuma wryly, now weaving signs together. "I'm not the leader of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers for nothing." Tetsuma's sign weave ended with his fingers in a cross, and Hinata knew what was about to happen.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" shouted Tetsuma. (Shadow Clone Technique)

With a huge puff of smoke, Hinata found herself surrounded by a circle of Tetsumas, all their eyes shining with the five Ikemasen points. The original Tetsuma then grinned, and raised his extended right hand slowly.

"8 trigrams: seven hundred and twelve palm barrage," he said slowly, and with that he clenched his right hand into a fist. The group of Tetsuma clones bolted at Hinata, and before she could jump out of their way they connected with their barrage of blows.

"Two palms!" they shouted in unison, blasting her body. "Four palms! Eight palms! Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms! Sixty-four palms! One hundred twenty-eight palms! Two hundred fifty-six palms!" The flurry of strikes was immense; each set was multiplied by the sheer number of Tetsuma clones, and Hinata's broken and bloodied body began to collapse.

"Five hundred twelve palms!" shouted the Tetsuma clones, and Hinata's body turned red with blood. The final strike landed, and Hinata fell limply to the ground, as if every bone in her body had been pulverized. The Tetsuma clones then vanished with a puff of smoke, and Tetsuma looked down upon Hinata's unrecognizable body.

"Too weak," he muttered. "And to think that you had pushed me this far…not even Kira has been able to do that…what?!" Hinata's body vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving a battered piece of fine furniture in its place.

"What?" he wondered aloud. "Where did she go?" He looked around wildly with his byakugan, looking for any shred of evidence as to her location, but none could be seen.  
Up above, however, fifty feet up at the top of the tall ceiling, Hinata tried to stay as motionless as she could as she held herself against the timbers. _Don't let go, don't sweat, don't breathe…_ she thought. _If he finds you, you will die._ Down below, Tetsuma was getting more and more frustrated.

"What the hell!?" he cursed, his angry voice echoing throughout the spacious chamber. "Where did you go, you worthless little piece of slime?!"

_But if I stay here, he'll eventually find me…I have to do it!_ Hinata relaxed her grip on the ceiling timbers, and silently began to fall. _I can't let him hear me…I must be silent!_

"Where are you…?!" Tetsuma began, but something on the wall ahead of him caught his eyes: a shadow, falling quickly, straight towards his own. "What?!" Tetsuma looked up just in time to see Hinata, her palm burning with chakra, and rage in her Ikemasen Byakugan eyes.

"Got you!" she cried, and she threw her hand at Tetsuma. "Jyuuken!"

"Rotation!"

--

"DIE!" shouted the Daisukes. Shikamaru was trapped; above him one Daisuke, in front of him another charging, and behind him was the wall of the mansion. The attack came swiftly as Shikamaru tried to dodge; the Daisukes landed their attacks on the ground and house, missing Shikamaru, but the force of the impact sent him flying across the street, landing hard on his side.

"Damn it…" cursed Shikamaru through the pain. The two Daisukes then slowly stepped up to him, their shadows in the morning sun falling upon his body. "I wasn't fast enough…"

"Nice job avoiding our attacks there," said the Daisuke simultaneously. "But now you are trapped. We are proud to be the ones to take you li-…" Both Daisuke's stopped suddenly, their bodies trembling.

"Such amateurs," said Shikamaru, slowly standing up. "You actually let your shadows touch my body? How stupid can you get?"

"Unfortunately, I still have the advantage here," said the Daisukes. "You can't move when you use that ninjutsu, can you?" That's when Shikamaru finally noticed the third Daisuke on the rooftop on the other side of the street.

"I'm such an idiot…" he muttered lifelessly.

"Doujutsu: Shusokubutai!" shouted the Daisukes (Elemental Focus). Just as before, a swirling purple vortex appeared in the air behind the third Daisuke on the roof.

"Damn it!"cursed Shikamaru. _If I release the shadow hold to stop that jutsu, the other two will kill me right here, but if I don't release it, then whatever that guy has in store for me will surely hit…I'm such an idiot!_

The vortex began swirling faster and faster, and the coloration began to intensify until the point it had reached in their previous fight. Shikamaru began to sweat – he didn't know what to do.

_If I use Shadow Sewing on these two, I'm still stuck here, and he's too far away for me capture him with anything…_

The vortex then began to turn redder and redder, and the Daisukes began to grin.

_I shouldn't have gone alone…damn it_

"Doujutsu: nagarebutai!" (Elemental stream)

_I'll have to jump out of the way without letting go…but if I do that, I'll…crap!_

A red stream shot out of the vortex and towards Shikamaru, who at the exact same time leaped back with all his strength, pulling the two Daisukes to the same spot where he had been standing. Shikamaru then released the shadow bind and the Daisukes tried to get out of the way of the stream, but it was too late. The stream was wide and hit both Daisukes, passing between them.

"No…" muttered the Daisuke on the rooftop. Ahead of him, down on the street, the other two Daisukes fell motionless to the ground, foot-wide holes now gaping in their sides. Near them, Shikamaru was gasping for breath, and try as he might, he could not stand up – that last burst was simply too much.

"Crap…" muttered Shikamaru. _That was too much…to carry two people at once…I'm done for now…_

"You killed my brothers…" said Daisuke slowly. "The Hureigatsu three…"

"These…were your…brothers?" stammered Shikamaru. Daisuke then hopped down from the roof top and stood a few yards away from Shikamaru, his rinnegan eyes glaring with rage.

"They have been under my control for some time, but yes," he said slowly. "I can see that you have no strength left. That is a pity; you are a worthy foe."

"How can you use Pain's technique?" asked Shikamaru, each word straining his body and causing him more pain.

"Master Pain was my sensei long ago," said Daisuke. "He taught me the ways of the rinnegan, but abandoned me after he determined I could never have it."

"But…"

"These are my father's eyes," said Daisuke with a grin. "Lina helped me kill that old bastard and gave me his eyes after he took mine."

"Y-you killed…your own father?" asked Shikamaru in horror.

"The old bastard…" said Daisuke with fake sentimentality. "He thought the Whirlpool village should only strive for peace through alliance. He didn't understand the weakness that such behavior exudes…"

"How could you…?" stammered Shikamaru, the pain now shooting through his entire body.

"It was easy…" answered Daisuke. "You seem to be weakened to the point of death. Was that little jump that hard for you? Tell you what…I could let you be my next body. I can place one of my black rods inside your head, and then you can be my slave. Does that sound nice?"

"I'd rather die…" said Shikamaru quietly. It hurt now to even breathe, and he felt as though any moment now he would lose consciousness.

"Is that so…?" Daisuke's vision shifted from Shikamaru to something off to the left, but Shikamaru's vision began to fade quickly.

_What…is…happening…? Did I… just hear…rasengan?_ Shikamaru then closed eyes and fell unconscious.

--

"Prepare to die, little bitch," said Lina with a sickly smile, her radiant purple hair swaying in a light breeze. "And you too, rat-boy."

"Rat-boy?!" countered Naruto. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I saw those marks on your face and assumed you were a rat-boy," laughed Lina. "Seriously, you look ridiculous! Why don't you shower or something?"

"Shut up!" shouted Naruto, but Lina only laughed.

"Do you seriously think I give a care who you are or what you think?" she chided. "You're just another worthless ninja from Konoha like the little bitch here. All of you are worthless peace-loving pukes!"

"I won't tolerate anyone saying such awful things about my village," said Naruto in a low growl, his rage increasing and his chakra beginning to flow in wild turbulence through his body. "But you insulted Sakura-chan, my best friend. Nothing is worse than that!"

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" mocked Lina. "Why don't you come over here and tell me yourself, you worthless little jerk off!" Sakura expected Naruto to freak out and attack Lina wildly, but something happened that she did not expect at all.

"No, you little bitch," he said back to Lina. "You come over here." Naruto's eyes began to change, his pupils became slits and a red shadow extended from his eyes.

_I don't get it…why is Sage Mode so easy now?_ Naruto looked down at his Nine-tail ring; sure enough, it seemed to be radiating ever so slightly. _You like Akira's present, don't you Kyuubi?_ Naruto could hear the Kyuubi inside begin to growl.

_Shut up and waste her already!_ said the Kyuubi. _Yeah, that ring helps me focus chakra much better, but quit wasting time! Don't make me punish you!_

_Sounds good,_ thought Naruto.

"What?!" yelled Lina. "What did you call me?! You are so dead…I'll kill you, you little prick!" At those words, Naruto quickly bit his thumb and made a flurry of signs.

"Summoning Art: Gamakatana!" shouted Naruto (Toad Sword). Just then a large red flash appeared in the air just above the buildings a few streets away.

"What?" gasped Sakura. "That's where Shikamaru was searching!" At the same time two large objects appeared with a puff of smoke and flew into the air opposite the red flash, but as soon as they appeared they disappeared below the skyline of the houses.

"Sakura!" commanded Naruto. "Go help Shikamaru and leave this chick to me."

"No," replied Sakura. Naruto was taken aback.

"Sakura-chan?" he asked slowly.

"This one and I have a score to settle," said Sakura. "You go check on Shika. Leave it to me."

"But Sakura-chan…!"

"Go!" demanded Sakura, and Naruto gave a quick bow of his head and leaped off in the direction of the flash with his sword.

"Didn't want your boyfriend to get hurt, huh?" said Lina mockingly. "The little bitch loves the little bastard rat-boy that much huh? Thought she would protect him by sending him away? Ha!"

"I sent him away because our friend is in trouble," replied Sakura coldly, pulling out a pair of gloves from her tools pack and sliding them over her fingers. "And also so that he wouldn't get in the way."

"Bring it, little bitch," said Lina. Her hands began to glow green with chakra, the glow extending further and further away from her hands, looking like swords extending from her wrists. "Eiseijutsu: seikon katana." (Medical Art: Soul Blade)

"Fine!" shouted Sakura, and she bolted towards Lina. Lina smiled, and swung her right hand at Sakura, who had to fall back nearly to the ground to avoid being hit. Lina brought her hand back and swung it vertically down at Sakura, but Sakura was quick and back-flipped out of the way before it hit her.

_I wish Chiyo-sama was here…_ thought Sakura. _I can't get hit, not even once. Those blades cut through spirit, and even a tiny nick will bring me down…what to do?_

"DIE!" screamed Lina, charging and slashing wildly at Sakura, who again leapt out of the way into the air.

"Take this!" shouted Sakura. She then let five kunai fly at Lina, but she knocked them all away with the Soul Blades. _Damn it!_ thought Sakura. _I should have known – chakra of that density can affect solid matter, like Neji's Ultimate Defense What do I do?!_

"Not good enough, little bitch!" laughed Lina, her voice becoming more and more maniacal. Lina then leaped into the air towards the still airborne Sakura. "Nowhere to run now! Hee hee hee!!" Sakura put up her hands and closed her eyes in horror as Lina slashed her through her chest with one of her Soul Blades. The two then landed, but Sakura landed hard, bouncing once and rolling to a stop. Her crumpled body lay motionless on the street, and Lina looked down at her in disappointment.

"Damn it!" she cursed. "Now you're all messed up and dirty! I wanted a clean body for my collection!" Then without warning Sakura's body vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing a large paper lantern in her place.

"You wanted what for your collection?" asked Sakura from a few feet behind Lina. Lina turned around just in time to see a fist come flying towards her face.

"Gotcha!" shouted Sakura, and her fist connected with Lina's cheek. The blow sent Lina flying several feet, and she landed hard on her side. Sakura looked onward with angst; that wasn't the effect she was expecting. After a moment Lina began to stir.

"That wasn't the same strength you hit my Daisuke with," she said slowly, getting to her knees and slowly standing up. "It took hours of treatment just to get him to wake up, and a whole handful of soldier pills to get him back to full strength. What has happened to you, hmm?" Sakura looked down at the hand she had hit Lina with. Something was wrong.

_My strength…_ she thought. _I can't seem to build up chakra well…ever since Lina hit with those blades before, I haven't really felt as strong as I usually do…damn it!_

"I know what's wrong with you," said Lina in a strangely sweet voice as she finally got to her feet. Her cheek was red and sore, and blood was streaming out of her mouth and down her chin. "Your spirit still isn't fully healed. Your friend Akira should be feeling the same thing right now, but your injury was much more severe. I got you near your heart, the chakra core. You were barely able to pull off that substitution jutsu, weren't you?" Sakura gulped.

_I pulled it off, but she's right…it was a close one. It took way too long to build up chakra for even that simple move…_

"You only have one strength, don't you?" asked Lina, now slowly stepping towards Sakura, her Soul Blades still glowing green with chakra. "You can use substitution jutsu, and you have unreal strength, but that's it. I'm right, aren't I?"

_Damn it!_ thought Sakura, now stepping back slowly. _She is right, but it has never gotten like this…I've always had my strength in solo battles, and if I got hurt, someone was always there to back me up, but now…I'm alone. I should run…_

"You're thinking right now that you should run away, aren't you?" asked Lina, still walking slowly towards her. "You want to flee, don't you? Run away from your fate, run away from everything. I'm sure that's what you're best at, huh? Run away, falling back while the boys do the dirty work. HA! Hee hee hee!"

_I can't run away…I can't! Naruto would never respect me again if I ran away._

"So why don't you?" asked Lina with a mocking, derisive tone. "Run away, little bitch! Run, and let your friends die like true, honorable warriors! Hee hee hee!" Upon hearing these words, Sakura's thoughts suddenly turned to another man in her life

_Akira…you have become everything to me…I can't run away. I have to defeat her! I have to help Akira – even if it means sacrificing myself for your cause…the cause of peace in this world!_

"Never…" muttered Sakura under her breath.

"What was that, little bitch?" asked Lina. "Speak up!"

"I will never run away," replied Sakura, staring straight into Lina's eyes. "I could never do such a thing to my friends, my loved ones."

"Such a noble woman…" said Lina with fake respect. "Such honor…"

"And I won't let you kill them!" shouted Sakura, hopping over the paper lantern on the ground between them and breaking into a sprint towards Lina. "I will protect them no matter what – even if means giving my own life!"

Sakura lunged at Lina, her left hand forward and her right hand held back in a fist, ready to deliver another blow to Lina's face. Lina however smiled, and as Sakura was about to throw her punch, Lina slashed her across the chest again. Another puff of smoke, and another paper lantern appeared, this time flying into Lina's body, but merely bouncing off.

"What? Again?!" asked Lina, and she turned around to see if Sakura was coming the other way. "That won't work on me a second ti-…" Lina felt her wrists being grabbed tightly.

"It already has," muttered Sakura. Lina turned back to see Sakura holding her wrists, the Soul Blades still activated.

"Damn it…" said Lina as she realized what she had missed. The paper lantern that Sakura had hopped over was now gone from the street. "You substituted with that lantern a second time, and when you jumped you were merely using the technique."

"I knew your first instinct would be to look behind you like before," added Sakura, her grip becoming tighter and tighter. "So I threw the substituted lantern at you in order to have it cover my position."

"Even though you were right in front of me, the lantern blocked your position from my view…" said Lina. "That was a good move, little bitch."

"Stop calling me that," said Sakura coldly. "Now, give up and surrender to us."

"I can't do that," said Lina, now pushing back at Sakura. "I…simply…can't!" Suddenly the blades doubled in size, and both brushed against her hips.

"GAAH!" screamed Sakura. Her hips felt as though they had been ripped off, and her body began to quiver, but her grip on Lina's wrist held firm.

"I will kill you for what you did to my precious Daisuke," said Lina, her tone becoming low and cruel. "Not only will I kill you though…I will tear your body limb from limb with my bare hands! Die you little bitch!" Lina began to push against Sakura even harder, and Sakura realized she was not strong enough to hold her back for much longer.

_If I let her hit me, I might be able to use her own attack to my advantage…_ she thought. _But that will be risky…even if I attune my chakra to absorb the hit. I must be precise…_ Sakura closed her eyes, and began to concentrate.

"Fear of death…is…natural!" grunted Lina as she tried to break from Sakura's grip. "Give up…and…I will…make your…passing…painless!"

_Right hand first…then left across…build up my chakra across my stomach…attune it to what you felt before…_

"Argh! You stupid little whore!" cursed Lina, her struggling becoming even more violent. Sweat poured down both of their faces, but Sakura's eyes will still closed shut. "Look at me before you die!" screamed Lina, and Sakura opened her eyes.

"Very well," she said softly. "This is over."

Lina's face turned from rage to surprise as Sakura drew Lina's left hand across, the left Soul Blade passing through Sakura's belly. Sakura screamed in agony as the lower portion of body flooded with pain like a raging river, but she kept her senses long enough to notice that, amidst the distraction, Lina's resistance wavered.

"No…" said Lina softly, but it was over before she could even take another breath. Sakura gathered everything she had, and pushed Lina's right hand towards her chest. The Soul Blade hit her chest and entered into Lina's heart, and instantly the blades vanished from her hands.

Lina's eyes stared blankly at Sakura, her mouth slightly open with the stream of blood still trickling down. Sakura felt the resistance vanish, and she let go of her arms. Lina then fell back onto the ground, and there she lay motionless, her eyes set in that same blank stare.

"GAAAH!" screamed Sakura again, but now the pain was so intense that she fell to the ground. _Attune…chakra…_ she thought. _A…t…tune…_ Sakura felt herself slipping out of consciousness, and within seconds the pain overcame her.

_A…ki…ra…_

--

"My name is Karasu Sashimi," said the lovely black-haired, dark-eyed woman now standing before Akira in a soft and pleasant voice. Her clothing was dark like the others, however she had long black veils hanging down from her sleeves, giving the impression of wings. "My love has asked me to kill you. I am proud to be able to take your life."

"You are no match for me," replied Akira, brushing his spiky brown hair out of his eyes. "Give up now, and we will let you live."

"Maybe you didn't hear me before," countered Karasu, who then bit her thumb, causing a small stream of blood to flow out of the wound. "My love asked me to kill you; I could never go against his desire." She then began weaving a familiar set of signs to Akira.

"Damn it!" he cursed, and he too bit his thumb.

"Summoning Art: Hiren!" shouted Karasu.

"Summoning Art: Kyodaimokin!"

A massive cloud of smoke covered the street, and the sounds of walls and rooftops being crushed fill the air.

"Karasu…" said a low and growling voice. "Why are you summoning me here? What is the meaning of this?" The smoke then began to clear.

"Hiren-sama," replied Karasu, now standing on the back of a huge raven, his eyes and feathers black as pitch with iridescent blue streaks along the wings. "Akira Sugiyama and Kyodaimokin, the Lady of the Ospreys…"

"Kyo?" asked Akira in a panicked voice. Akira was likewise standing upon Kyodaimokin's back, her sharp eyes staring intently at the Raven's.

"This is bad, Akira," replied Kyodaimokin, and with that Hiren began to laugh in a horrible caw.

"Haw! HAW!" laughed Hiren. "Very good, Karasu. You have done well."

"Thank you, Hiren-sama," said Karasu with gratitude. "We can now commence their destruction."

"Yes," said Hiren in a long, drawn out tone, and with a spray of dust and debris both birds and their riders took flight into the air above the Domain.

"Akira-kun!" cried Kyodaimokin. "Don't let go!"

**New for Saturday, 10/18/08: HINATA'S COURAGE – LOVERS DEPARTED**

**BONUS!** I'm sorry this was delayed so long, but believe it or not I am still not feeling well. Make sure to pray for Kanko!

**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!** Starting tomorrow, this story will also be available on fanfiction. net under the same title. It is part of an effort to up my readership and gain more power, all in hopes that someday I will rule the world. Anyway, both versions are the same (with minor, minor edits), only it might be a little easier to read over there. Don't worry; I will be releasing new chapters on this site before I post them up on fanfiction. net. Please keep supporting Akira!

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
• **Daisuke Hureigatsu**: An exile from the Whirlpool Village, Daisuke has stolen a pair of Rinnegan eyes from his father and incorporated them into his own body. This came to pass after an intense battle with his father, in which Daisuke lost both his eyes but still was able to kill his father. Daisuke's friend, Lina, surgically attached his father's eyes in his sockets using medical ninjutsu, and soon after both were exiled from the village with a price on their heads. Daisuke's control over the Rinnegan is extremely weak compared to Pain; he is able to control two additional bodies, but still has to make every decision from his own mind – and with the amount of chakra he uses, he typically "deactivates" these bodies and summons them using a Summoning Jutsu. The two bodies he has taken over belonged to his identical twin brothers who were sent out to kill him after his exile – Daisuke now uses them to great advantage, though unlike his father he has not yet managed to fully control the elements.  
• **Lina Haishin**: Also an exile from the Whirlpool Village, Lina was at one time a shy, quiet girl who fell in love with Daisuke and fled with him after the murder of his father. She is now foul-mouthed and no less ruthless than Daisuke, but had she had her wish, she wouldn't have left the village. She is a highly trained medical ninja on par with Sakura Haruno, though more skilled in ninjutsu-style battle. Lina never leaves Daisuke's side, and swore early in her life that she would die to protect him, the one she loves.


	14. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: HINATA'S COURAGE- LOVERS DEPARTED

**CHAPTER 13: HINATA'S COURAGE- LOVERS DEPARTED**

"Rotation!" shouted Tetsuma. A dome of chakra swirled violently around Tetsuma's body, throwing Hinata across the room. Hinata crashed into the wall, knocking off mirrors and pictures and leaving a large crater (several inches deep) at the impact point. She then fell to the ground, spitting up blood with a painful gasp.

"But…how…?" she sputtered. "Neji was the…only one…of the branch…"

"You still talk in terms of 'head' and 'branch'," said Tetsuma. "Once you escape from fate, none of those terms mean anything anymore. I am no longer a member of the branch family, nor even the head family. I am my own man, unbounded by the rules and laws of the oppressors, the so-called elders of the Hyuga." Hinata coughed up a little more blood and got to her feet.

"You and Neji… are very much alike," said Hinata. "Neji too has determined that he is the holder of his own fate, not the family name."

"If Neji still hangs around those people…those demons who call themselves Hyuga…" said Tetsuma slowly and coldly. "Then he is as stupid as you, hime. But you know what? It doesn't matter anymore. Do you know why?"

"What are you saying?" asked Hinata. Tetsuma smiled.

"The Hyuga are going to be destroyed very soon," he said menacingly. "The ones who preach that fate is everything are about to be dealt their own! Ha ha ha!"

"What?!" gasped Hinata. "You're lying!"

"No, hime, I speak only the truth," replied Tetsuma, his eyes as wide as his smile. "Even as we speak, Dakatsu is on his way to Konoha, and when he gets there the name Hyuga will die…just like Uchiha."

"No…" said Hinata slowly, but then her voice grew angry and wild. "NO! I WON'T LET YOU!!" Hinata started sprinting towards Tetsuma again.

"Pitiful little hime…" he said softly. "You're going to die here."

"SHUT UP!" she screamed. "SHUT UP!!"

Hinata lunged at Tetsuma, ready to land a powerful Jyuuken upon his heart, but before she could even begin her strike Tetsuma spun around and kicked her hard, again throwing her back. Hinata rolled to a stop, only to hear Tetsuma's cackling laugh filling the chamber.

"What do you think you can do to me?" he laughed derisively. "You are no match for me, hime! You, along with your precious Neji, and your father, even all those who claim the Hyuga name…"

"No…" whispered Hinata.

"…are soon going to die," finished Tetsuma, and again he began to laugh maniacally.

_What am I going to do?_ thought Hinata. _He's too strong…I can't defeat him! Naruto-kun…I need you here with me now!_

"You are too weak to be the head of the clan," said Tetsuma softly and angrily, now walking towards her, his Ikemasen points shining even more brilliantly in the dark chamber. "None of you are worthy to carry the Hyuga name…and that is why I must destroy it, so that I can rebuild it properly."

_I can't…I just can't…he's going to kill me no matter what I try…_

"That is right, Hinata," said Tetsuma, and Hinata gasped. "You are going to be killed, no matter what you try." Hinata sat stunned. _When did he enter my thoughts? I didn't even notice it!_

"That is because you are weak," he continued. "You do not yet have enough understanding with the Ikemasen; again I implore you: shake off the bonds of familiarity and genealogy. Give up your fate, and embrace true freedom. Hinata-hime, join my organization, and experience joy as you have hitherto been prohibited." Tetsuma was now standing near Hinata, and he reached down with his arm, offering his hand to Hinata.

"B-but…" muttered Hinata incomprehensibly.

"Join with me, your hero and friend," said Tetsuma softly, his voice changing.  
_That voice…_ thought Hinata. _That's how Tetsuma used to sound, when I was a little girl…_

"Hinata-chan…" said Tetsuma softly. "Come with me. We can be together from now on, you and me. We don't need to have others telling us who we are and what we can be."

"I-I…" stammered Hinata.

"Join my organization, Hinata-chan, and I will make you a ruler of many nations."

"I-I…I can't…" said Hinata softly, a tear brimming at her eye. "Tetsuma nii-chan, I can't do it…I have friends who love me and care for me, and I for them. I can't turn my back on everything that makes me happy." Tetsuma's face fell, and his eyes returned to their angry state.

"Then that is your choice," he said coldly. "I have no more words for you, hime. Goodbye, Hinata." Tetsuma's outstretched hand began to glow blue, and his expression turned from angry to psychotic.

_I can't…I…I can't let him kill me! Naruto! I won't give up!_

"No!" she screamed, and she swatted his hand away, a long blue streak trailing her hand.

"Gah!" screamed Tetsuma, and he grasped his arm – he was bleeding. "You stupid little…!"

"Shut up!" shouted Hinata, and she leaped to her feet, her face now inches from his.

"You are a traitor, Tetsuma nii-chan, and I will not let you live. You are within my 8 trigrams…prepare to die!" Hinata's eyes focused hard, and her body began to twirl around and around.

"What?" asked Tetsuma in disbelief, and he tried to back up, but it was too late. Hinata's rotational speed increased faster and faster, blue streaks trailing around her like ribbons of fine silk. Tetsuma screamed and cursed as the streaks scored across his body, cutting him wherever they hit. Hinata then stopped immediately, her Ikemasen points shining so bright they hurt Tetsuma's eyes. Tetsuma stood before her shielding his face, his arms lacerated and bleeding in many spots.

"Nii-chan, I loved you," she said softly. "Konjohira!" (Spirit Palm)

Hinata's palms struck Tetsuma across the chest, sending him sailing across the room and into the large window opposite from them. With a mighty crash he smashed through it, landing on the ground outside atop a spray of broken glass. Hinata's breathing was deep, and she stared intently at Tetsuma's seemingly motionless body. He wasn't dead; his chakra streams were still active, and his brain was still functioning and his heart was still beating.

"Nii-chan…"said Hinata softly as she lowered her arms. "Forgive me…what?" Hinata gasped as Tetsuma's body seemed to vanish as a large shadow passed overhead, leaving Hinata alone in the house.

"N-nii-ch-chan…" said Hinata again. Her Ikemasen Byakugan faded back to her regular eyes, which then filled with tears, and Hinata fell to her knees weeping.

--

Daisuke smirked as he gazed down upon Shikamaru's exhausted body. Shikamaru had used all his energy to draw Daisuke's two other bodies into the elemental beam, but was now collapsed upon the ground before him. Daisuke took a step towards Shikamaru, intending to break the Konoha ninja's neck, but before he could do so a sound erupted from down the street to his left.

"RASENGAN!"

"What?!" gasped Daisuke as he turned to see two Naruto's charging towards him, each holding a sword and a bright, blue sphere held between them as they sprinted side by side towards him. Without warning one of the Narutos vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the one running at a full charge.

"Take this!" shouted Naruto, and he lunged forward to slam the rasengan into Daisuke's chest. Daisuke was quick, however, and leaped out of the way just in time. Naruto's thrust continued, and as Daisuke jumped away Naruto fell, running the Rasengan into the ground. A massive cloud of dust shot up with a crashing noise, and Naruto was hidden in the smoke, leaving Daisuke several yards away untouched.

"Damn it!" cursed Daisuke. "There is no end to these brats!"

"What have done to Shikamaru?!" growled Naruto from within the dust cloud.

"That little punk killed my brothers," replied Daisuke. "And in so doing he nearly killed himself. It really was quite spectacular."

"Shika is my friend…" growled Naruto his voice becoming lower and harsher. The dust began to settle, and Daisuke finally saw him.

"What the…?" he gasped. Naruto's appearance had again changed; no longer was he in Sage Mode. His irises were now a violent red, his pupils slits like a snake, and the lines on his face were now more intense and jagged. "I will kill you if you touch him again!" shouted Naruto, his fingernails now replaced with fearsome claws, his canines extending out an inch from normal.

"You look like Shirokuma…" mused Daisuke. "But he's much scarier looking than you are I'm afraid, and if you think I'm going to let that piece of trash live, then you are sorely mistaken. Ninjutsu: kurokatana!" (Black blades)

With a swirl of darkness, a long sword appeared in Daisuke's hand, its blade so dark and black that it seemed to absorb light around it.

_What the…?_ wondered Naruto. Daisuke smiled and laughed, slashing the sword from side to side as though testing its balance.

"My master Pain-sama used these in battle," he said retrospectively as he gazed upon the sword. "They were quite useful to him too, but my personal brand is much better, a far improvement on his rather simple design."

"Pain…?" gasped Naruto. "You were trained by that murderous thug?! That monster?!" Suddenly Daisuke's smile turned to a frown, and he gazed upon Naruto with his stolen rinnegan eyes. _Those are like Pain's eyes, all right…_

"You will never speak in such a manner about my beloved sensei again," commanded Daisuke in a cold, cruel voice.

"Your sensei murdered many of my friends and fellow villagers!" shouted Naruto. "His death meant peace for my friends! For the world!" Daisuke's face became more and more contorted with anger and hatred with every word.

"You will not say such things!" screamed Daisuke, and with that he began charging at Naruto with his black sword. "I will kill you for this!!"

"Yes…" growled Naruto with a smile, and he lunged at Daisuke with Gamakatana. Blades met and sparks flew, and with that single strike Naruto knew this foe was much more skilled than Raiko.

Dasiuke slashed again at Naruto, who dodged it and returned the attack to Daisuke. The slash was swift and Daisuke again had to jump back to avoid from being hit.

"I'll stop you!" growled Naruto, who immediately ran at Daisuke, swinging again with Gamakatana, only to be blocked by Daisuke. Dasiuke pushed Naruto back with his black sword, and then kicked Naruto with his foot.

"Damn kids!" cursed Daisuke, he now charging at Naruto with his sword. "What are they doing in Konoha? Breeding like rabbits?"

"Shut up!" replied Naruto coldly, and with that he slashed at Dasiuke, who successfully dodged. However, this time Naruto followed up by raking Dasiuke across the face with his claws, knocking him back a little. Blood poured down Daisuke face from the claw marks that ran across, and he stared intently and ferociously at Naruto with the rinnegan.

"That's it…" he grumbled. "You really are getting on my nerves. Insotsu no jutsu!" (Command jutsu)

"GAAH!" screamed Naruto as his body froze. All he could see were the rinnegan eyes, wide and staring deep into his soul.

"You are now mine," said Daisuke. "You no longer control your movements and actions; they are all mine."

"W-what…?" stammered Naruto.

"Give up, and I will make your passing painless," continued Daisuke. "Together with your punk friend, you can then look forward to taking part in my glorious missions."

"Go…to…hell!" said Naruto forcefully. Slowly a red glow began to envelop his body, and he could feel the Kyuubi's voice within him speaking.

_I know we're buds now, but seriously, if you want, I can take over and trash this guy for you. It would save both of us time and energy._

"I…I can handle…this!" said Naruto aloud.

_Sure you can. That's why you can't move right now, right? This guys jutsu feels much stronger than the Uchiha's…are you sure you don't want anymore help?_

"Fine…" said Naruto, gritting his teeth. "What…did you…have in…mind?"

"Shut up, you little prick!" shouted Daisuke. "I take it that your answer is no. That means no smooth painless death for you. How pitiful…" Daisuke began to walk towards Naruto, and he held up his sword, the tip now pointing directly at Naruto's heart.

"Hurry!" said Naruto to himself, but by then Daisuke was already standing in front of him.

"Hell no," said Daisuke cruelly, droplets of blood falling from his chin from the gashes across his face. "You're going to get it slowly and as painfully as possible." Daisuke then smiled, and jabbed his sword at Naruto's chest. A thud of metal sounded, and a spray of blood flew into the air.

--

With a massive gust of wind and dust, the Osprey and the Raven flew into the air, their riders bracing for the inevitable.

"Hang on, Akira!" shouted Kyodaimokin as they ascended higher and higher into the air passing several thousands of feet up. "Don't let go!"

"Easier said than done!" replied Akira, who was hanging on to dear life on a couple of Kyodaimokin's neck feathers. "Where's Hiren?" Kyodaimokin looked back and forth.

"I…I don't know?" she replied. "He was here just a…hold on!"

"Damn it!" cursed Akira. Above them, Hiren was racing down at an unbelievable speed.

"DIE KYODAIMOKIN! DIE! HA HA HA!" he cawed crazily, and with a monumental crash the two birds collided. Kyodaimokin shrieked in pain, and Akira was thrown into the air.

"Kyo! KYO!" he cried, but Kyodaimokin continued to fall like himself. "No!!"

"Shut up, you little turd!" shouted Karasu's voice, and he turned to see her riding upon Hiren, both closing in at a rapid pace. "Can't you just die already?"

_Not like this…not like this…_ Akira's Ring of Dragon began to pulsate, and he felt the chakra release from the ring, filling every inch of his body.

"Die!" screamed Karasu, and Hiren opened his beak to crush the flailing Akira. "Ha! Weak, Akira, weak…?!" Hiren snapped, but his effort was fruitless, Karasu turned to see Akira, now sporting large, bronze wings shooting through the air down towards the falling Kyodaimokin.

"Kyo!" shouted Akira, his body now covered in bronze scales, to the Osprey. "Kyo! Wake up!" The Osprey did not respond, and Akira tucked in his wings and began plummeting faster until he was able to grab on to the feathers of her face. The ground was only a couple thousand feet away now, and still Kyodaimokin wasn't responding. _Very well, maybe some water will do…_ Akira let go of Kyodaimokin and wove a series of signs with his hands.

"Mizukata: suinansuteki!" (Water Style: great flood)

A bluish white vortex appeared in the air in front of Akira, staying with him as they fell, and a large stream of water shot out of the vortex, splashing and soaking Kyodaimokin's face.

"W-what?" she squawked. "What the hell…?"

"Kyo! Fly before we hit the ground!" Akira grabbed on to her neck feathers, and Kyodaimokin spread her wings, gliding back up into the air.

"That was close," she mused. "Where's Hiren?"

"Up there!" said Akira, pointing to the sky above them. "They're making another dive!"

"I see them," said Kyodaimokin softly.

"Got away from me, did you?! Haw haw!" screeched Hiren crazily. "Not this time!" Hiren then tucked in his wings and shot down towards Kyodaimokin, who then turned in midair, her underside now facing Hiren.

"Tsumujikaze Sozetsu!" cried Kyodaimokin (Grand Whirlwind), and she gave a mighty swoop of her wings. Turbulence rampaged through the air, and Hiren was forced to pull up to avoid it.

"Damn it, Hiren!" shouted Karasu. "What are you doing? Kill them!"

"You don't order me around," said Hiren slowly. "That burst has meant doom for many of my brethren; it surely would have meant ours as well." Hiren then rolled through the air and sped again towards Kyodaimokin, who turned and threw another violent wind storm his way. Karasu and Hiren again rolled, skirting the burst and continuing their descent.

"No escape this time, Kyo! Haw!" cried Hiren.

"Kyo!" shouted Akira.

"I know!" replied Kyodaimokin, and she leveled out and made another great swoop. The force of the movement sent her skyward in an instant, and she flapped as hard as she could to climb higher.

"What!?" shouted Hiren as he turned his head to look up.

"Fly up there!" commanded Karasu. "Now!"

"Shut up, you worthless human," replied Hiren, and he gave a strong beat of his wings and he sailed upwards, but it wasn't long before both of them saw what was coming. "Damn it!" Kyodaimokin flew like a shuriken straight at Hiren, diving feet first at the Dire Raven.

"Gotcha," said Kyodaimokin. Hiren tried to fly out of the way, but was too late. Kyodaimokin slammed into Hiren, piercing the Raven with her giant talons.

"GAH!" shrieked Hiren. The force of Kyodaimokin's collision sent both birds and their riders plummeting to the earth far below, and Karasu saw the opportunity to strike.

"Great shot, Kyo!" shouted Akira happily from Kyodaimokin's neck, his dragon transformation still in effect. "You got him g-…!" Akira dodged a kunai thrown right at his face, only to see Karasu's fist following it.

"Die, pig!" she cried, and her fist landed squarely on Akira's cheek, knocking him off Kyodaimokin's back and again throwing him free into the air. Karasu continued running across Kyodaimokin and leaped off into the air after Akira.

"Ninpou: kurozenpuku!" (Ninja art: black wingspan)

The silks draped off her sleeves transformed into large bat-like wings, and her eyes turned from merely dark to completely black.

"You aren't the only one who's special!" shrieked Karasu as she sailed towards Akira, somewhat discombobulated from Karasu's unusually strong punch. Below, Kyodaimokin and Hiren continued to plummet, and Akira finally got a hold of himself, spread his wings, and began sailing towards the fast-approaching Karasu.

"Katon: hidam ryujinn!" shouted Akira (Fire Style: Dragon God's Fireball)

"Gigeiyami: kurokotetsu!" cried Karasu (Dark Arts: black armor)

A massive fireball shot out of Akira's mouth, and flew straight into Karasu with unbelievable force, exploding in a huge spray of fire and smoke.

"That got her…" said Akira to himself, but as soon as the fire and smoke cleared, he gasped. "What?!" Ahead of him in the air was what looked like a large black cylindrical rod, and as he neared it he realized it was made of dense feathers, the outside of which was horribly charred, but eh inside was preserved. With a burst the feathers flew off in all directions, and Karasu sped unscathed at Akira.

"Ha ha!" she shrieked. "Got you now! Ha!" Akira braced for another blow, but instead Karasu threw several kunai at him, all of which missed and sailed past him.

"You missed!" countered Akira, and he clenched his fist as he rapidly approached her. "You're mine now!" Karasu simply smiled, brought her hands together (thus closing her wings) and made the sign of 'horse' with her hands.

"Return!" she shouted. That's when Akira noticed them: several shimmering threads, stringed from Karasu's hands and reaching behind him.

"Damn it!" he cursed, but it was too late. The kunai she had thrown flew back towards her, and with a pull Akira felt his body being wrapped from behind by the threads. Karasu gave another pull, catching Akira's wings and pulling her body tightly against his, and together the two plummeted to the earth like their avian counterparts. Neither Akira nor Karasu could move; the threads were being held tightly by Karasu, who grinned sickly and gazed horribly upon Akira with her jet-black, bird-like eyes.

"Now we can die together!" she cackled. "My love will be so proud of me! Hoo hoo!"

"What are you doing?!" shouted Akira. "Katon: hidam-…!"

"Gigeiyami: chakra negaisage no jutsu!" countered Karasu (Dark Arts: chakra cancellation technique)

"What?!" gasped Akira. Upon her words, his dragon transformation began to disappear, and in only a moment he was back to his normal human self, as was she.

"Now neither one of us can cheat our way out!" said Karasu gleefully. "We'll just have to see what happens! The grounds not too far below us now! Hee hee!" Akira looked around wildly; Kyodaimokin and Hiren were nowhere to be seen.

_Damn it, Kyo! Where are you! Don't tell me you're…_

"You really are a handsome man…"said Karasu with strange affection. "If I hadn't met Tetsuma first, I could have been with you. Pity, really. Ha!"

"This is insane!" shouted Akira. "Let me go!"

"Ohhh! Not so tough without his precious dragon wings, is he? Ha! What a weakling the Brine idiots put in charge!"

_Come on, Kyo! Where the hell are you?!_

The ground was now only a thousand feet away and approaching rapidly as their descent reached its terminal velocity. Akira kept looking, but no sign of Kyodaimokin could be seen.

"Ha ha ha!" cackled Karasu. "It's almost here! Death awaits! Yes!"

_She isn't coming…but this isn't over yet!_

The Rings of Earth and Water began to resonate on his fingers, and Akira began to focus.

_I can't weave signs, so I'm going to have to force my mind to do this. Think of the signs and their order…concentrate…concentrate…!_

"Here it comes! Here it comes! Death! Sweet, sweet death! Ha ha ha!"

_Concentrate!_

Akira opened his eyes. The tree tops were not far below them; he had to do it now.

"Ninpou: dorokanketsusen!" (Ninja art: muddy geyser)

Below, a huge spray of water and mud shot up through the trees and enveloped the falling tandem. The speed of the upward flow was great, and Akira felt their fall slowing significantly, until…THUD!

Karasu and Akira slammed into the ground, and Karasu's grip on the wires was broken, causing the two to fly apart upon impact. Several moments passed as both Karasu and Akira laid upon the ground, their breath having been taken from the force of the impact, their bodies wracked with pain and exhaustion. After these few moments, however, both struggled and successfully stood up.

"Nice move…" said Karasu through her heavy breathing. She was hunched over slightly, holding her left arm as though it were in pain.

"Thank you," replied Akira, likewise out of breath and hurting. He then pulled out a kunai, and prepared to attack her again. "This ends here." Karasu suddenly looked up into the sky through the trees.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't," she said softly, and as a large shadow passed overhead she vanished, leaving Akira alone in the middle of the trees.

"Damn it…" he muttered. "Kyodaimokin! Where the hell are you?!"

--

"What the…?" asked Daisuke slowly as his black katana barely pierced Naruto's chest, not even enough to get past a single rib. Naruto's body was now completely enveloped in the red fox cloak, and three tails protruded from his back. Naruto looked into Daisuke's rinnegan eyes with a crazed, demonic look and smile.

"Not good enough," growled Naruto, and with a blinding slash he cut through the black katana with Gamakatana. Daisuke dropped the severed sword to the ground, the broken blade vanishing upon contact with the ground. Naruto then backhanded Daisuke with his open fist, sending Daisuke sailing across the street and into the wall of the house opposite them. Bones cracked, and Daisuke fell crumpled to the ground.

"So you're one of the jinchuuriki, huh?" said Daisuke as he stood up after a moment, wiping a streak of blood from his chin. "After that moron Killer Bee disappeared, I thought all of you were dead…I guess I stand corrected."

"Don't insult Killer Bee…" growled Naruto, now on all fours.

"He was an idiot and everyone knows it," continued Daisuke.

"Shut up!" shouted Naruto, and like a lightning bolt he shot across the street at Daisuke, tearing up the ground as he ran. He then grabbed Daisuke by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Hee hee!" chuckled Daisuke between coughs. "You have a short fuse, don't you?"

"You have hurt my friends, and insulted those I care about…" said Naruto in a frightening low rumble. "I can't forgive you!"

"You remind me of someone…" started Daisuke out of the blue, somewhat startling Naruto. "Someone I used to know when I was a small child…Uzumaki was her name, I think…"

"What?" asked Naruto, now stony-faced, his fox cloak immediately beginning to fade. His claws retraced, his returned to blue, and Daisuke now began to feel a lot heavier as he held him against the wall.

"Kushina, I think that's what Pain-sensei said her first name was…" continued Daisuke. "You look an awful lot like her, that traitorous woman who betrayed the Whirlpool Village…"

"What?" asked Naruto again, his eyes now wide with fear mingled with a hint of curiosity. _What is he talking about? Who is this 'Kushina'?_

Naruto threw Daisuke off to the side and stared at the wall. _Uzumaki? Kushina? What is he talking about?_ While thus distracted, Naruto failed to notice Daisuke pulling out a kunai.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence," continued Daisuke, now playing off this sudden stroke of luck. "But you wouldn't happen to be a member of the Uzumaki clan, would you?" Naruto's eyes grew even wider, and his heart skipped a beat.

"You know we thought that Pain-sensei and we, his students, were able to successfully wipe every last one of them out," continued Daisuke. Something inside Naruto snapped, and he clenched Gamakatana so tightly his knuckles turned purple.

"What did you say…?" he asked almost imperceptibly.

"They really didn't put up much of a fight," continued Daisuke, now limping towards Naruto with the kunai behind his back. "They were all a bunch of no-talent losers, if you ask me…"

"Shut up you murdering bastard!" screamed Naruto, and Daisuke made his move.

"Die!" he shouted, but Naruto was ready. Daisuke lunged at Naruto with his kunai, his aim square and true for Naruto's forehead. Naruto on the other hand swung Gamakatana just in time to block the attack, and as he spun back around his sword pierced Dasiuke chest. Daisuke gasped, and stared into Naruto's eyes with the rinnegan, but then he did something that Naruto did not expect.

Daisuke grabbed the blade of Gamakatana and pulled himself closer and closer to Naruto, blood seeping out of the wound with every movement and pouring onto the ground. Naruto stared back fearfully into Daisuke horrible eyes, and a pounding sound began to be heard, at first soft, but gradually getting louder and louder as though drums were being pounded right next to his ears.

"You will die with me…" said Daisuke slowly, blood now streaming out of his mouth with every word. Naruto felt his mind slipping into insanity with the increasingly intense pounding, and he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth in agony.

"No!" he screamed, grabbing his ear in an attempt to stop the pounding, no so great that he felt it would rattle his body to death.

"You will die…with…me…" said Daisuke again, though his words began to slow and slur, and just as his words the pounding began to slow and diminish, until a moment later there was silence, and Daisuke's body fell limp. Naruto kicked him back off his sword, and Daisuke fell in a heap onto the ground, his blood covering the sword and his clothing. Naruto then fell to his knees, then his stomach, and he closed his eyes as he, like his comrades, succumbed to exhaustion.

--

Above, sailing across the sky above the Domain, Karasu held Tetsuma tightly as they rode upon Hiren's back, his feathers now mingled with blood from Kyodaimokin's attack. Karasu's face was covered in tears as she wept for her lover, who was badly battered and injured.

"You idiots," said Hiren. "Kyodaimokin's attack was rather difficult to shake, but I would have beaten her if I didn't have to come rescuing you two."

"Forgive us," said Karasu softly, her teardrops falling upon Tetsuma's face. Tetsuma said nothing, but rather looked out into the open air. "Tetsuma-kun, what about Lina and Daisuke?"

"They are already dead…" he said softly, his gaze unchanged. "The lovers are now departed, and hopefully they will be together in the afterlife."

"As will we, my love," said Karasu, kissing the top of his head.

"So, where are we headed?" asked Hiren.

"To the Country of Lightning," replied Tetsuma softly. "I need to speak with Kira. Our plans have changed. Send word to Kurayami's team as well."

"What is the word?" asked Karasu.

"Konoha," replied Tetsuma.

**New for Wednesday, 10/29/08: REGROUP, REFORM – THE TARGETED MIZUKAGE!**

**Bonus!** As an announcement, I have a majorly huge test next Saturday (Fundamentals of Engineering), so there will be no chapter released this week. I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience, but hey: I gotta graduate. Don't worry though - next week will be a special week (i.e. 4 chapters released).

Keep spreading the word and supporting Akira!


	15. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14: REGROUP, REFORM – THE TARGETED MIZUKAGE!**

"Kyo!" called out Akira as he limped back to the Domain. "Kyo! Where are you!" No reply came, and Akira began to feel uneasy. _This isn't good…could Hiren have killed her so easily?_ Akira continued his way towards the Domain, calling every few seconds but to no avail.

_What a horrible turn of events…_ he thought. _I get separated, Kyo disappears…I really hope the others are okay._ Akira walked into a clearing just before the wall of the Domain, and here he stopped.

"If you're still alive," he said aloud. "Then I can still summon you." Akira pulled out the green and black scroll, bit his thumb, and made the signs.

"Summoning art: Kyodaimokin!"

His words were immediately followed by a massive plume of dust and smoke, and as it cleared Akira could see a large object in it – but as it cleared, Akira could tell something was horribly wrong.

"Kyo?" he asked fearfully as the Osprey began to clarify. "Kyo?!"

--

Naruto opened his eyes. His head pounded, and his body ached, and someone was holding him. As he became more and more cognoscente, he heard a whimpering girl's voice, and as he further gained lucidity he finally was able to see and recognize that Hinata was holding him, her face drenched in tears and her lovely bluish-white eyes now red and sore.

"H-Hinata-ch-chan…" whispered Naruto. Hinata looked into his eyes and immediately her appearance changed from overt sorrow to overwhelming joy.

"Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed, and she held him tightly against her body. "I was so worried!"

"S-Sakura…where's Sakura…chan?"

"I haven't seen her, but Shika is here with us," said Hinata, still not releasing Naruto from her grip "He looks okay to me, but he hasn't woken up yet." Naruto's eyes suddenly grew wide.

"What?!" he said, struggling from her grasp and getting to his feet. "Hina-chan, we have to find her! She was fighting against that crazy Lina ninja!!"

"What?!" gasped Hinata.

"Hinata-chan, stay with Shikamaru," commanded Naruto. "I'll go find Sakura."

"B-but…" stammered Hinata sheepishly, but Naruto was already running off down the street. Hinata's eyes eased towards the ground, and her hands started fidgeting. "Okay, Naruto-kun!" she said with a bow, and she walked over and sat down next to Shikamaru, who was still out cold.

_Naruto-kun…you really do trust me…thank you…_

"Sakura-chan!" shouted Naruto as he ran. "Sakura-chan!!" ahead of him a few more streets was the place he had left her with Lina. Naruto ran faster and faster, continuing his call, but no response came. He then reached the street corner and saw it: Lina and Sakura were both lying on the ground, motionless.

"Sakura! No!" he screamed, and he raced over to her. Without stopping he dropped to his knees, skidding and tearing his pants, tears now dripping from his eyes. Gently he picked her up into his arms, his voice now trembling. "Sakura…please no…"

Naruto then held her limp body tightly against his chest, identically to how Hinata had held him, and then he felt it: her heart was still beating – she was still alive. He then picked her up, glancing briefly down at Lina's emotionless face.

"You deserved everything you got…" muttered Naruto angrily at Lina's lifeless body. "For hurting Sakura-chan this much, I would revive you just to kill you again." With that, Naruto turned and walked back the way he had came with Sakura gently held in his arms.  
Within a few minutes he was back with Hinata and Shikamaru, though Shikamaru had still not awoken. Naruto slowly laid Sakura on the ground next to Shikamaru, and wiped the tears from his cheek.

"Naruto-kun…" whispered Hinata as she saw this rare sorrowful emotion seeping out of Naruto's generally impermeable psyche.

"I'm a horrible friend…" said Naruto softly and mournfully. "Shika and Sakura…it's all my fault…"

"Naruto-kun, what are you saying?" asked Hinata. "They're both still alive…we all survived that battle."

"But they are hurt…badly," continued Naruto, his gaze remaining fixed on his two injured and unconscious friends. "I swore long ago I would protect my precious friends, and again and again I fail in that promise."

"That's not true…" said Hinata, now stepping closer to Naruto. "You have protected us, always. If we get hurt that's one thing, but you've always had the faith in us…that we would always succeed." Hinata reached down with her hand and grasped Naruto's. "You've always believed in us…in me." Hinata held Naruto's hand tightly, but Naruto literally had no reaction. Instead he stared intently down at his living yet fallen comrades, and after a moment of thus staring in silence he closed his eyes.

"Hinata-chan…" he whispered. "Why do I always think I can do something that I can't?"

"Because there is nothing you can't do, Naruto-kun," she replied. "Ever since we first met, you've always found a way. You taught me that giving up is the wrong way to go about in life…that giving up was the absolute worst thing in the world."

"Hina…" whispered Naruto, a single tear streaming down his cheek. "I'm glad you are here with me…" Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand back, and Hinata, seizing the moment, closed her eyes and gently laid her head against his shoulder.

--

Kyodaimokin's feathers were stained with blood as she appeared before the shocked and horrified Akira Sugiyama.

"Akira-kun…" she said softly. "I'm sorry I failed you."

"Kyo! What are you saying?!" replied Akira somewhat frantically as he gazed upon his friend for the first time covered in blood.

"I…couldn't help you…" she replied. "I was too weak against Hiren…"

"Don't say such things!" demanded Akira. "I am alive, and the enemy has been driven off. You failed no one."

"Where are the others?" asked Kyo in a strained voice. "Where are the children from Konoha?"

"I don't know," answered Akira, gently stroking Kyodaimokin's feathers. "I haven't been in the Domain since we fought Hiren and Karasu."

"Go find your friends…" said Kyo almost immediately. "I will be fine, all I need is a little time and I will be back on my feet."

"Promise me you will be okay," demanded Akira.

"I promise, Akira-kun," replied Kyo. "Now go help them." Akira bowed and ran back towards the Domain, while Kyodaimokin closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Back in the village it took a little while for Akira to find Naruto, Hinata, and their injured comrades, but eventually he did.

"Naruto!" called out Akira. Naruto turned and waved, Hinata finally letting go of his hand and stepping a little away from him, her cheeks turning red.

"Akira-san!" replied Naruto, beckoning Akira with his hands to hurry over. "Sakura and Shika are hurt!" Akira rushed over and knelt down next to the two ninja.

"Sakura has been attacked with that Lina's blades again…" he observed, noticing the fresh burn marks at her thighs and across her belly. "She must have been able to absorb the attack…this extensive an injury to the spirit would have surely killed her." Whether it was coincidence, or perhaps the sound of Akira's voice, something inside Sakura stirred and she slowly opened her eyes.

"A-Akira-sa-ma…?" she muttered in a low whisper. "Y-you're alive?" Naruto began to tear up again, but Akira simply smiled and caressed her face very gently with his hand.

"Yes, Sakura Haruno," he replied. "We all are."

"And…" she stammered. "Am…I alive?" Akira began to laugh as he placed his hand behind her back and lifted her up to a sitting position.

"Very much alive," he answered. "You must have figured out a way to stop her attack." Sakura looked down for a moment in recollection.

"Yeah, I guess it worked…" she said softly. "But she got my legs pretty bad…I will need time to heal them."

"How much time?" asked Naruto. "We need to follow those ninja and defeat them before this gets any worse!" Sakura looked down again, her mouth set in a frown.

"I can't go on with you anymore, Akira-sama…" she said woefully after a moment. "I can't fight like this, not for a few days at least. She didn't kill me…but it feels like she almost did."

"But Sakura –chan-…!" started Naruto, but Sakura interrupted him.

"It looks like Shikamaru isn't doing very well," she said, looking over at the still unconscious ninja. "I will take him into the woods where we will be safe, stay with him, protect him and heal us both. That way, we can join you later on." Naruto didn't respond the way he wanted to; his inner self demanded to keep arguing with her, but the grown up conscience he had developed over the years refused.

_If you push her like this, she will die,_ he thought to himself. _She isn't giving up…she is doing the right thing._

"You'll catch up to us, won't you Sakura-chan?" he asked with a smile.

"If not, I know you'll be back for us," answered Sakura. "Please, Naruto, Hinata, Akira-sama…be careful."

"We will," replied Akira, smiling again at Sakura. "Don't worry about us, just take care of Shikamaru."

"I will," agreed Sakura. The three then turned and began walking away, but Naruto stopped and looked back at Sakura.

"Sakura-chan…" said Naruto. "You are my best friend…you know that, right?"

"Yeah," said Sakura. "I know that."

"You'll be all right, won't you?"

"I promise…" said Sakura with a smile. Naruto smiled back, then turned and ran off after the others.

Outside the domain, in the same meadow where he had summoned her, Akira found Kyodaimokin no longer covered in blood. Rather, her feathers were clean and beautiful again, and she stood perched proudly upon the ground as the three ninja approached.

"See?" she said. "All I needed was a little time to heal."

"Remarkable…" gasped Akira.

"So, where are we off to know?" asked Naruto.

"Last I saw Hiren was flying off in an easterly direction," replied Kyo. "I think they are headed to the Country of Lightning."

"Then that's where we're going," said Akira. "Come on, everybody up. We need to get moving fast." With that, the three leaped up and onto Kyodaimokin's back, and with a great flap of her wings she took flight. Below in the Domain, Sakura watched as the great Osprey flew majestically through the air above the Domain and eventually out of sight.

"Please be careful…" she whispered as if a prayer. Below her, Shikamaru finally began to stir.

"Oooh…" he moaned. "What happened…where is Daisuke…?"

"Just take it easy, Shika," said Sakura, who dragged herself over to his side. "I'll take care of you know."

"Did we win?" asked Shikamaru slowly.

"Not yet," she answered. "But we will. You'll see."

--

The morning mists lingered over the village on the largest island of the Country of Waves. The Hidden Mist Village, as it was called, sat silently as though part of a dream as the clouds of vapor passed through it, hiding parts of it like a mirage. In this early morn the streets were quiet, and not a soul traversed them except for three, hooded and cloaked as they moved steadily towards the center of town. The three seemed to step in unison in their march down the Mist Village promenade, their pace constant and their path straight and true.

Early morning faces peeped out from second floor windows at the strangers as the coursed through the village, each one, young and old, male and female, wondering who and why these three were here. None had ever seen such strangers in their village before, and for them to be marching thusly through at such an early hour seemed strange. The three continued their march for some time, all the way until they reached the building which housed the Mizukage's office and residence. Before them guarding the doors were two ninja, each in their twenties, covered in long black cloaks. Each had erratic, dark hair, and even in the shadows of the morning they wore dark glasses.

"You three, what are you doing here?" asked the ninja on the right. The three ninja didn't respond, but instead stood their ground silently and motionlessly. The two Mist ninja began to feel uneasy and annoyed, and pressed them further.

"What the hell do you three punks want?" demanded the ninja again. "What business do you have here?"

"Their just a couple of losers waiting for someone to pound them, Juki," said the other ninja. "That's all."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt…" said Juki. "It's been a while since I've been able to kill a stranger…this will be nice. You wanna take that smaller one Mik?"

"Whatever," replied Mik. "Let's just kill these losers, okay?"

"Okay!" answered Juki, and the two then stepped closer to the three cloaked strangers. Juki then smiled and lunged at the one at the right with a kunai from beneath his cloak, but he did not get far before he was stopped in his tracks, seemingly by nothing at all. Juki stood there trembling, his mouth open, his eyes wide, and after a moment he dropped his kunai to the ground.

"Juki?!" asked Mik. "Juki, what the hell are you doing!? Kill them!" Juki didn't respond; rather his gaze remained forward at the rightmost shrouded figure, two red eyes staring intently at him from beneath the hood, staring deep into his soul, invading him…crushing him…

"Juki…?" began Mik again, but at that moment he saw it – a dense, black shadow, stretching from the middle figure to his feet. Before he could react it reached his feet, wrapping around his legs and climbing up his body. "W-w-what…is…this…?!" The shadows climbed higher and higher up his torso and chest, up his neck and onto his face.  
Juki strained as hard as he could to break away from the stranger's gaze, but couldn't do so. Instead he could only hear his comrade's bloodcurdling scream, following by dead silence broken by the thud of his body falling to the ground. It was then that the stranger on the left broke off from the others and stepped towards him.

"How do you feel?" asked the stranger in an eerily calm yet surprisingly comforting mid-ranged male voice. "Do you feel any pain?" These words seemed to drain the fear out of Juki's system, and he felt his body relax and calm down. His muscles unclenched, his heart rate lowered, and all in all he began to feel just fine.

"Itami…" said a woman's voice from the red-eyed stranger. "Ease his passing."

"Very well, Ona nii-chan," said the stranger named Itami, now directing his voice back to Juki. "I would be honored to guide you into the afterlife."

Juki's mind was so relaxed and care-free now that he didn't notice these words, nor did he notice Itami walking up to him and touching his face with an outstretched hand. It was upon this contact that Juki felt something different, but his state of mind was such that he couldn't pinpoint what it was, even if had wanted to.

"You feel good, don't you," said Itami as Juki slowly lowered himself to the ground. "That's right, lie down and relax, this will all be over soon." Itami then made a series of unusual signs with his hands. After a short moment Juki's expression changed from euphoria to slight discomfort.

"I never grow tired of watching you do this…" said Ona with an air of admiration. "It's like an art form." Below, Juki's face was turning purple, and then for a short moment he began to struggle a little, only to then fall limp and still, his, face falling lazily to the side. Itami then took a deep breath, and released the hand sign.

"Thank you, Ona-sama," he replied. "I see it the same way."

"Well then," said Ona. "Let's go meet our target." The three then stepped over the dead bodies of Mik and Juki, the former covered in blood, his face contorted in the remains of a silent scream. They then pulled open the door of the building and walked in.

Inside it was dark, but light enough to see a few feet ahead. In this darkness the three continued onward, not seeing another soul until they reached their destination. In front of them stood the door to a bedroom, inside which slept their target.

"So, you wanna do this one, Ona nii-chan?" asked Itami. "Kurayami and I already have ours."

"But this is different than a couple of jonin," replied Ona. "Much different."

"Fine, fine…" said Itami. "But you've got to get one easy one before we leave."

The third stranger, Kurayami, then opened the door without a word. Inside the room it was dark, much darker than the hall and beyond the visibility of normal eyesight.

"Ona, is he here?" asked Itami. Ona's red eyes peered out from beneath the hood and perused the room from side to side.

"No," she replied softly. "But his bed is unmade…it appears he just barely left his room."  
"Then he knows we are here…" observed Itami. "This may be a little more difficult than I thought. Where is he?"

"Upstairs, on the roof," answered Ona, now peering upward. "You were right; he does know we are here."

"Let's go then," said Itami in a strangely bored tone. "Let's get this done and move on to the next target."

On the rooftop or the large, round building, Mizukage stood patiently waiting in his white robe and large blue hat, his hands held behind his back. He knew they would be here soon, and when they arrived, they would die. The sun was now a little further above the horizon, and little by little the mists were being burned away by the coming day.

"The audacity of these intruders, hmph!" muttered Mizukage. "Killing my guards and breaking into my home…such dishonorable behavior." Three figures suddenly appeared before him about twenty yards away, standing ominously in the now creeping sunlight.

"Mizukage-sama," called out Itami. "Good day to you, most honored of ninja."

"Who are you?!" replied Mizukage angrily. "And why are you here?!"

"I suppose it won't hurt to tell you…" continued Itami. "We are representatives of a great organization which seeks to restore the world to its true power, but in order to do that we must first cleanse it of iniquity. In order to do that, we must destroy those who bring it."

"I guess I'm just not understanding your point," replied the Mizukage.

"We're here to kill you, Mizukage-sama, and we will be taking your place as heads of the Mist Village."

"Right," said Mizukage sarcastically. "You think you three can defeat me?"

"Well, yes," said Ona matter-of-factly.

"We can make your passing painless, even comforting if you would like," said Itami calmly. Mizukage felt his body relaxing at these words, but quickly recognized he was being placed under a genjutsu.

'Already attacking me, huh?" said Mizukage. "I'll take that as your first strike. Now it's my turn! Mizukemuri no jutsu!" (Mist over Water Technique)

Water began to seep up from the slots in the rooftop, and within seconds an inch of water covered the entirety, soaking their sandals. Immediately following the emergence of the water came a mist, much denser than the morning mist in the village, so dense that the three could not see more than a few inches in front of their own faces.

"You made a terrible mistake challenging me," said the voice of Mizukage through the mists. "No one can see through my technique, not even the greatest of the sharingan users."

"Ona, what do you see?" asked Itami.

"This fog is filled with chakra, but it isn't so dense that it can't be penetrated. He's moving around quickly…circling towards the right. It also looks like others are coming towards us, other ninja. He must have sent out a call."

"Even better!" said Itami. "You say this fog is created with chakra?"

"Yes," replied Ona, and immediately Itami began weaving signs.

"Let's see if Karasu's move is worth anything," said Itami. "Gigeiyami: chakra negaisage no jutsu!" (Dark arts: chakra cancellation technique)

The mists around the three began to recede, leaving them in a circle of empty rooftop about ten feet around.

"That's a very forbidden technique…" said Mizukage's voice from the mists. "You must be very dangerous S-class felons to have the gall to use something like that."

"Why do you call us felons?" asked Ona, her red eyes beneath her hood following Mizukage's clandestine movements through the mists perfectly. "We simply want to make the world a better place."

"Indeed!" countered Mizukage. "Anyway, enough of this. Atsuryokuha no jutsu!" (Pressure wave technique)

A massive, high speed wave of water flew at the three from behind them, but Ona was ready.

"Jump now!" she shouted, and the three leaped into the air just as the wave passed beneath their feet, barely nipping their ankles.

"Nice move, Mizukage," said Itami as they landed. The mist where the wave had passed was now parted, and Mizukage stood adamantly in the clearing, his eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat.

"Kura," said Ona softly. "Two, Five, Nine, and Twelve O'clock." Kurayami nodded faintly at the instruction.

"You dodged my wave, that shows skill," said Mizukage. "Unfortunately skill can never overcome poor planning." Mizukage smiled as four figures appeared in the air sailing towards the three strangers.

"Are you talking about them?" asked Ona, and Mizukage's smile fell instantly. "Now, Kura." Kurayami leaned over quickly and pounded the palm of his right hand against the rooftop, sending four dark shadow streams into the air impaling the four ambushing Mist ninja. Mizukage stood horrified as his four ninja simply hung in midair on the shadow streams, blood pouring out from their wounds onto the watery rooftop below. Kurayami then released the streams, and the four dead ninja fell lifeless to the rooftop.

"Now that that's done with, we can deal with you," said Itami.

"At least show me your faces," demanded Mizukage. "Give me that honor at least, you murderous cretins!"

"That sounds reasonable…" replied Itami, and together the three lifted their hoods. Kurayami and Itami both looked young, Kurayami being several inches taller than Itami, with a completely bald head marked with a large tattoo that covered most of his forehead. His eyes were dark and cold, and his face seemed as though it no expression at all. Itami on the other hand was handsome in every way; intense blue eyes, a strong chin, well groomed, long medium brown hair tied in a ponytail. Ona on the other hand looked older, in her thirties, with shorter shoulder-length silvery-grey hair. Her features were attractive, but her eyes were what caught Mizukage's immediate attention: bright red eyes, a doujutsu of which had no knowledge at all.

"Kurayami Jin, Ona Doro, and Itami Noborou," said Itami. "We are proud to be the ones to take your life, Mizukage-sama."

**New for Saturday, 11/1/08: THE NEW TARGET – WAR BEGINS**

**Bonus!** I apologize for the wait. The last couple weeks have been HARD, but I am back, and so is Akira. Due to school restraints, this weekend will only be a double feature, not the triple feature I was thinking about. Sorry! But, as you can imagine, things heat up even more from here on out. And remember: Kankokage loves you!


	16. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15: THE NEW TARGET – WAR BEGINS**

A breeze began to pick up across the rooftop of the building in the Village of Mist, whereupon Mizukage and the three strangers stood still, anticipating the next movement, ever calculating their plan of attack. Mizukage peered from under his blue-rimmed hat at the three. Kurayami, Ona, Itami…he had never heard these names before, even in the most wanted of s-class felons. However, they had already killed six of his jonin-level ninja without even breaking a sweat. Whoever these ninja were, they were not to be trifled with.

"So, Mizukage-sama," said Itami. "You have already seen through my genjutsu, so that path of defeat has been subjugated. For this I commend you; you literally are the first."

"Thank you," said Mizukage, not moving his eyes even a millimeter away from the three. "I am a kage, after all."

"Indeed," said Ona. "But from what we've seen the term kage is pretty worthless."

"A kage never betrays his village," said Mizukage. "They are faithful till the end, and fight with vigor. To hold the name kage is to hold the respect of the world – in that respect lies great power."

"Ha!" laughed Itami. "Then tell that to your friend Kankokage! He fled his village and betrayed everyone – his friends, family, even Dakatsu Tetsuwan."

"Akira did this?" gasped Mizukage. "That is impossible! Akira would never betray-…!"

"But he already has," continued Ona. "And we, the loyal servants of Tetsuma of the Ikemasen, have assumed control of the Brine Country and all its power, just as we will yours."

"Over my dead body," said Mizukage coldly. Itami simply chuckled.

"Yeah, that's kinda the point," he said with a wry smile. "Now, since you have beaten my technique, how about we let you deal with Kurayami." Kurayami, still silent, focused his eyes on the Mizukage and lowered his body almost in a bow.

"Your move…" said Mizukage, and with that Kurayami bolted towards the waiting kage of the Mist Village. In this transit, Kurayami began to weave signs, and his moved as if making words, but no sounds were produced. Several shadow streams appeared near his feet as he ran, winding up to the height of his shoulders, the tips thereof looking razor sharp like a katana.

"That's interesting…" mused Mizukage, and a second later Kurayami reached him.  
Kurayami swung his fists at Mizukage, who was easily able to avoid the attack, but immediately afterward the streams slashed at him. Mizukage dodged these as well, but no sooner had he done so than Kurayami again punched at him. Mizukage leaned back to avoid this attack, and as he did so the shadow streams sliced through the air towards his awkwardly-leaning body. One of them struck Mizukage near his shoulder, and a small spray of blood shot out. He leaped backwards several yards and landed, holding his shoulder and wincing in pain.

"Kagekatana…" observed Itami with a rather loud voice that irritated Mizukage. "There is a reason why Kurayami is our leader, Mizukage-sama." Kurayami then smiled, and the streams of shadow shot through the air towards Mizukage, who began to weave signs as quickly as he could.

"Not fast enough…" said Ona. "Why do these countries pick such weaklings as their kages?"

"Damn…" muttered Mizukage, softly but loud enough for all three to hear. At that same moment, the shadow streams reached him, piercing Mizukage through the chest in several locations. Blood shot out of the wounds like an explosion, and from the sheer force of the strike the streams carried Mizukage's body into the air, where after reaching a modest height, the streams vanished, letting Mizukage fall down the ground many feet below. With a splash he landed on the water-covered rooftop, his body crumpled like a pile of rags.

"I think that got him," said Ona, her red eyes shining brightly as she peered all around the rooftop. "He isn't anywhere…what a worthless battle."

"Yeah, no kidding…" began Itami, but before he could finish the crumpled body ahead of them burst into water, vanishing into the watery film. "What the…?" Around them, the water began to grow back, and within a second their feet were once again covered in water.

"I figured…" said Ona, peering rapidly from side to side. "No way could we have taken that guy out so easily. Kurayami! Watch yourself…" Ona was interrupted by a loud, booming voice that seemed to fill the air surrounding them.

"Mizukata: gekijo kaijin!" (Water art: Sea God's Fury)

The ground and water beneath their feet began to rumble and shake, Ona looked down at the water.

"So that's how he does it…" she observed. "Itami! Kura! Get out of the water now!" With that command, all three leaped high into the air above the roof top.

"Poor choice…" rumbled Mizukage's voice. The water began to stir, and with a mighty sound of crashing waves two giant, watery arms in the shape of Mizukage's shot out of the water at the three. With a heavy blow, one of these giant arms and hands swung at Kurayami, connecting and throwing him like a sling into the rooftop.

"Damn it!" cursed Ona. She, like Kurayami, had no way to dodge the hand that was speeding towards her, and no sooner had she thus cursed than the hand struck her, throwing her far beyond the edge of the rooftop, disappearing below the precipice.

"Truly you are a kage…" observed Itami as both hands sped towards him, aiming to crush him between them.

"This ends now!" shouted the voice of Mizukage. Itami did not show any sign of fear at these words; instead, he grinned.

"You are right," he said calmly. "This will end now." With a deafening roar the two watery hands smashed together with Itami between them. No sooner had they done so when Mizukage's voice screamed out in agony, and the hands then vanished. Itami landed hard on the ground, coughing up blood as he landed. At the same moment he coughed, the water began to rapidly recede, it culminating in one spot and taking the shape of the Mizukage, whose face was now contorted in fear and pain.

"I know how you feel…" said Itami slowly, blood dripping from his mouth and his body bruised. "I know only too well…you are in great pain aren't you." The trembling Mizukage didn't immediately respond; rather he looked onward with his eyes widened in terror at Itami, who he was sure he had killed.

"W-what h-have you d-done…to m-me?!" he stammered.

"We are simply sharing our feelings," replied Itami. "We are bonding like the best of friends; I feel your pain, you feel mine…inextricably we are now connected. What I feel, you feel."

"B-but how…?"

"When you struck me up there," continued Itami. "You inadvertently created a bond between us and fell into my trap. Surely you've hear of this power before."

"The…Void?" gasped Mizukage.

"That is right," answered Itami proudly. "I am an exile from the Country of Void, one of the legendary empaths…although they will try to kill me on sight should I ever return. But I think I've already told you enough – let's share some more pain together." Itami struggled to get onto his hands and knees, and once he did he reached down under his cloak and pulled out a kunai.

"What are you…?"

"Where first?" asked Itami. "The hand?" With a strangely and horrifyingly masochistic look on his face, Itami stabbed the kunai into his free hand. Simultaneously both he and the Mizukage screamed in agony as blood poured from Itami's wound.

"D-don't….no…" stammered Mizukage after a moment, but Itami ignored his request.

"What next?" Itami asked with an increasingly strained voice.

"If we are connected…" stammered Mizukage. "Then by killing myself… I can kill you…" Mizukage then pulled out a kunai, and Itami's sadistic grin faded.

"No…" whispered Itami, but Mizukage had already started the motion.

"Though we die together, your death will be without honor," said Mizukage coldly, and with that he stabbed at his heart with the kunai.

CLANG!

Sparks flew into the air and Mizukage's kunai was knocked out of his hand by another, apparently thrown from a direction which he could not see. Itami turned his gaze in this direction, his face still wracked with fear and pain, and Mizukage heard Ona's voice speaking.

"You are such a fool, Itami," she said. Mizukage could hear her footsteps on the now dry rooftop growing closer. "You used that technique when you were all alone, and you let him figure out its secret. You are just as bad as Daisuke."

"Ona…" said Itami with a slight whimper. "I had no choice! There was nothing else I could have done!"

"And now look," she continued, now appearing in Mizukage's field of vision walking over towards Itami. "You are broken and injured. It will take me hours to heal you from this."

"What about Kura?" asked Itami.

"He's almost here," said Ona. "Mizukage-sama got him pretty good, but he was able to soften the blow it seems." Mizukage panicked; he had forgotten about the quiet one with the shadows. Behind him he heard heavy footsteps, and they stopped just as they reached him.

"Kurayami!" called out Itami. "Kill him so we can move on!"

"What?!" gasped Mizukage, and he clenched his teeth and eyes shut awaiting the final blow. Instead, however, he heard a loud cry from what sounded like an eagle. For several moments after the cry, all was silent; not a word was spoken by the three, the only sounds coming from the slight breeze running through the rivets and shingles of the roof.

"Damn it all…" said Ona in a disappointed tone. "Tetsuma is changing the plan again. Very well, Mizukage-sama, you will not be killed." Mizukage opened his eyes in shock.  
"What?" he asked.

"We must return to Konoha," said Itami. "Hokage-sama has reassigned our mission."

"Hokage?" asked Mizukage in horror. "Tsunade-sama is behind this?"

"Ona, Kura!" commanded Itami. "Let's go." Kurayami appeared from behind Mizukage and picked up Itami, and together the three walked towards the edge of the roof where they disappeared in a small puff of smoke.

"Hokage-sama…" growled Mizukage, rage beginning to fill his soul. "She will pay for this!"

--

Dakatsu Tetsuwan panted heavily as he ran through the trees near the western coastline near the Demon Country. He had arranged for a boat to transfer him across the sea into to the Fire Country, but it was still some distance ahead of him. His face was dirty and his raiment was unkempt; since Tetsuma had sent him away, he had hardly stopped once, for the fear of retaliation was great.

The trail he ran along then curved towards the beach, where a series of large boulders stood. As he thus began to pass through them, he heard a rustling sound from above.

"Who's there?!" he asked fearfully. He waited several moments, but no response was given, the only sounds being heard coming from the lightly crashing waves on the beach. After these moments of silence, Dakatsu again began to run, but he did not get far. With a blur four ninja appeared in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. All of them worse forehead protectors from the Three Mountain Village, and upon seeing this Dakatsu calmed a bit.

"Thank goodness you are here!" said Dakatsu. "Tetsuma is trying to kill me, and I need your help." The four ninja did not respond, and Dakatsu began again to feel fear.

"I demand that you protect me!" he shouted, and at this point one of the ninja began to make a series of hand signs. "What…what are you doing?" Suddenly the world began to swirl around Dakatsu, making him feel dizzy and tired.

"Tetsuma-sama has given us a mission," said another of the ninja. "To ensure that you achieve success in your own." Dakatsu could no longer handle the swirling, and he collapsed unconscious on the ground.

The four ninja then approached him, and one of them pulled out a set of medical tools and scalpels, while another pulled out a small piece of electronic equipment with an antenna. All four then kneeled down around Dakatsu's body, one unbuttoning Dakatsu shirt and another making an incision into his bare chest.

--

Kira Maraki, Raiko Ikazuchi, Jago Kotetsu, and Chizome stepped through the gates of the village wherein lived the feudal lord of the Lightning Country. The village was quiet, but both could tell there were people there, hiding from the terror that had befallen their country.

"There are about a hundred people here," said Kira, his Tenmongan eyes active and scouring every inch of the village. "Up ahead is the feudal lord…he seems to be particularly scared."

"I'm glad you caught up so quickly," said Chizome. "I'm sure you would have been pissed off if we killed the king before you got here."

"That is a wise assertion," replied Raiko.

"So, what next Kira?" asked Jago. Kira didn't immediately respond; rather, he turned around and looked into the sky.

"Tetsuma is coming," he said softly. "Shirokuma too." Away from them from the trees appeared Shirokuma Mitzigami, along with nine Three Mountain ninja, among whom was Tonbo.

"What's going on?" asked Shirokuma in his rather high voice. As soon as he had asked this, the Dire Raven Hiren appeared from behind the hills surrounding the village, and within seconds had landed near them. Hiren bowed himself down, and together Karasu Sashimi and Tetsuma Hyuga leaped off. Hiren then took flight again and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the sixteen ninja alone in the quiet village.

"Tetsuma-sama," said Kira with a small bow. "Where are Lina and Daisuke?"

"They were killed back in the Domain," answered Tetsuma coldly while Karasu supported him, his body still weak from his encounter with Hinata.

"Lina and Daisuke are both dead?" gasped Shirokuma. "But how!?"

"Akira-san has hired ninja from Konoha, my hometown," replied Tetsuma. "They seem to have unusual strength with them for being so young. I honestly can't explain it."

"Daisuke was weak…" said Jago. "It's no surprise he was killed, but Lina?"

"Where are the other three now?" asked Kira.

"Kurayami, Itami, and Ona are most likely still in the Country of Water," replied Karasu. "But we sent a dispatch to them, and they should be on their way to the new target."

"New target?" asked Chizome. "What new target?"

"Plans have changed," said Tetsuma. "Konoha's interference has left them weak, and if we take advantage of this opportunity our mission will succeed even better than we could have imagined."

"Tetsuma-sama," interrupted Raiko. "If you would excuse me?"

"Of course," replied Tetsuma, and with that Raiko began walking down the street towards the feudal lord's residence. "Anyway, the Lightning Country has already been defeated from the looks of it, as well as the Brine. Hopefully the others haven't killed the Mizukage, because he plays an integral role in this."

"And that is?" asked Shirokuma.

"The Countries of Wind and Fire are powerful, and we alone are not enough to march in and destroy their leadership," continued Tetsuma. "With the forces of the Mizukage, we can create diversions with which we can sneak into the countries and carry out the assassinations."

"But Tsunade and Gaara…" observed Jago. "These aren't just any foes. They are legend. Tsunade is one of the Sannin."

"And the last of the Sannin," said Karasu. "If the others have been killed, then she too can be killed."

"That is correct," agreed Tetsuma. "We will make our way to the Country of Fire first, where we will await the arrival of the Mist ninja."

"That's assuming that Ona and the others haven't killed the Mizukage," added Chizome.

"If they have, then we will simply reassess the situation," replied Tetsuma. "Whatever the case is, we have the advantage of surprise, not to mention superior firepower." From the direction of the king's residence a blood-curdling scream erupted, and after a few seconds it vanished.

"Looks like Raiko has gotten his revenge…"said Kira softly. "I am happy for him."

"Kira," said Tetsuma. "Hiren informed us en route that we were being followed by Akira and two others. I have to ask you to remain here to deal with them so they don't interfere anymore with our plans."

"Then leave Chizome and Jago with me," replied Kira. "We'll take of things here."

"If you have the strength, you should try to summon it," said Tetsuma, prompting a startled reaction in Kira. "I think with the progress we've made, a forced summons might be achievable."

"But Tetsuma, there's no telling how he will react," said Kira with a somewhat shocked tone. "We aren't exactly on the best of terms; he may try to kill me."

"And if he does?" asked Tetsuma. Kira looked down at the ground in subservience.

"Then I will destroy him and take what is rightfully mine," answered Kira softly.

"Very good," said Tetsuma in a rather heartless tone. "Karasu, do you think you can have the Ravens find Dakatsu?"

"I think so," replied the lovely Karasu.

"I think I will help him along the way in his mission," said Tetsuma slowly. "The four I sent to rendezvous with him have most likely finished their work, and he is ready to go to Konoha."

"I will send for him then," said Karasu with a bow.

"Thank you, my love," said Tetsuma. Karasu stepped away from the group for a few minutes, disappearing out of sight.

"Mind cluing the rest of us in on what you are planning, Tetsuma-sama?" asked Shirokuma.

"I'll let you know once we leave the village. Too many ears to hear us here."

Raiko walked back and joined the others, his hands stained with blood and a horrible grin upon his face.

"All done?" asked Kira. Raiko nodded in the affirmative. "I am very happy for you. Now we can move on to bigger and better things."

"You two can play your games as soon as the mission is complete," said Tetsuma. "For now, Raiko comes with us to the Fire Country, and Kira will stay behind and deal with the baggage."

Once Karasu returned, the seven ninja bowed, and Tetsuma, Karasu, Shirokuma, Raiko and the nine Three Mountain ninja fled through the trees, leaving Kira, Chizome, and Jago alone in the silent village.

--

Hinata and Naruto held on tightly as Kyodaimokin sped with all her strength through the air. She had seen Hiren in the distance descend, and she and Akira both knew that their fey lie ahead.

"What village is that ahead?" asked Naruto.

"It is the where the king of the Lightning Country lives," replied Akira. "It looks like the other villages we've passed have been devastated…"

"Do they have an army?" asked Hinata. "How could they wipe out such a huge country so fast?"

"My ninja are powerful," replied Akira. "They are called "firepower" by many. With a few of them in the wrong hands, a lot of evil can be done."

"Akira-kun," said Kyodaimokin. "We are getting very close now…but I only see three of those ninja in the village."

"Three?" wondered Akira. "That's it?"

"Only three," she continued. "I cannot sense any others in the vicinity."

"Then let's take these guys out!" said Naruto emphatically. Akira turned back and smiled.

"Akira-sama…" said Hinata quietly, her Ikemasen Byakugan activated. "I can see them too…it looks like they are waiting for us."

"Yes!" said Naruto excitedly. After a moment, Kyodaimokin began to descend rapidly.

"Brace yourselves!" she commanded. Kyo then landed hard on the ground before the village, and Akira, Hinata, and Naruto all leaped off. With a great puff of smoke Kyodaimokin vanished, and as the smoke cleared they could see the three ninja awaiting them.

"All right!" said Naruto. "Let's go get…them…" Naruto's words slowed to a stop and his excited appearance faded to one of complete shock. Hinata saw what Naruto was looking at and gasped loudly, puling her hands up to her chin.

"Y-you…!" she stammered. Naruto rather stood silently for a moment, his mouth slightly gaping and his eyes wide in disbelief.

"K-Kira?" he said softly and slowly. Kira looked back at the two young ninja, likewise in disbelief.

"Naruto? Hinata?" asked Kira.

**New for Wednesday, 11/5/08: THE FATED REUNION**

**Bonus!** I once again apologize. Life has come at me fast, and I won't be able to produce a special hour-long weekend special. I hope you will forgive me. At this point it would be wise to reference Lord Gale119's story "Kira Maraki: Heir to the Heaven's Gate Eye".

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
• Itami Noborou: Itami is a most unique ninja. He comes from an unknown village in the mysterious and bleak Country of the Void. He is called the "Pain Ninja", due to his ability to feel the pain of others, and to make others feel his own pain. His technique is in a way similar to Hidan's, but no ceremony is required to bring about this effect, only touch. If Itami touches any part of another person's body, they will immediately begin to feel the exact same sensations depending on who is feeling more pain as long as the two are within a few feet of each other. Itami thrives on these feelings, turning the negative feelings into positive effects for his own body. Additionally, he has the ability to affect the minds of others through touch, a trait similar to the others of his village known as "empaths".


	17. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16: THE FATED REUNION**

**Just so you know, I am writing this while feeling incredibly depressed. You may say this is the almighty flashback episode. I apologize for the shorter length.**

**WARNING! THIS CHAPTER BEGINS USING ELEMENTS FROM LORD GALE119'S PREQUEL, "KIRA: HEIR TO THE HEAVEN'S GATE EYE", JUST GOOGLE IT AND YOU WILL FIND IT****. AND YES, ALL USED INFORMATION HAS BEEN APPROVED**

Naruto's mind seemed to completely stop, lost in a trance, an alternate dimension, in which time didn't seem to have any hold on his thoughts. Images of the past rushed in like a tide over a shallow bay, and quickly he felt overwhelmed by emotion. His friend, the one he thought had died…

_The dark rainclouds had swept in fast, and tiny droplets began to fall upon the grounds of the Konoha cemetery. As the intensity of the precipitation increased, the various visitors began to flee, and even the birds and insects sought for cover. One boy, however, remained in the deluge.  
_

_Naruto Uzumaki stood silently and still in the pouring rain, water dripping off his face like a small waterfall, his clothes becoming drenched within seconds and sticking to his skin. His eyes gazed downward, looking sad and alone, as though his heart had been stolen away by some fiend. Below, in the grass, lay a monument, and upon this edifice his gaze rested, no sorrow more great, and no emptiness more vast.  
_

"_Kira…" he whispered, a single tear sliding down his cheek. "I failed you. I deserve…to be the one in the grave…"_

Kira stared blankly at his two former comrades, his Tenmongan active and glowing. It was as though he had stepped back in time, back into happier times, happier places…

"_Naruto!" shouted out Kira, barely thirteen years old, as he ran down the street after the boy he considered to be his best friend. "Naruto! Wait up!" Naruto turned and smiled big for the new young genin.  
_

"_What's up Kira?" he asked. "Wanna go get some ramen?"  
_

"_My team has been selected for the Chuunin Exam!" exclaimed Kira with his arms flailing. Kira was slightly older than Naruto, and as such his team was not considered rookies, unlike Team 7. "We're gonna be taking it together!"  
_

"_Really?!" asked Naruto excitedly. "You mean you and I might get to fight each other?!"  
_

"_Yeah!" said Kira, his handsome young face beaming. "Let's go to the training field and practice!"  
_

"_But I…sure, why not!" said Naruto, and together they ran off down the street.  
_

_After they're grand battle and a generous helping of ramen, Naruto and Kira parted ways. He had encountered his crush, Hinata Hyuga, earlier in the day, and was convinced that now was the time for him to act – to let her know how he felt, how much he loved her…but all was stolen away from him.  
_

_Rain Ninja attacked the village and he, in an effort to protect the one he loved, was defeated and taken away, forever cursed to live the unsightly life he now pursued, the life he swore he would never have._

"Y-you're…a-alive…" stammered Kira. "Naruto…H-Hinata…"

"Kira-kun?" gasped Hinata, finally recognizing the odd boy she found marginally attractive in her youth. Kira's jaw fell and tears began to well up in his eyes.

"I…I thought you were dead…I thought you all were killed…" Kira's lip began to quiver, and at this point Jago and Chizome had already had enough.

"Get off it, Kira!" scolded Chizome. "These little pricks killed Daisuke and Lina. We just gonna sit around and play 'do you remember?'?"

"Jago, Chizome," said Kira slowly. "Take care of Akira. Leave these two to me."

"You sure about that, Kira-san?" asked Jago. "They might be out of your league."

"Draw Akira away and deal with him," Kira continued. "Or I will kill you both."

"Fine!" replied Chizome in an annoyed tone. "Jago, let's go." Immediately he and Jago leaped back a good distance and beckoned to Akira to follow.

"Come on, Kankokage-sama!" chided Jago. "If you don't come after us now, we'll sneak around and kill you precious little friends!"

"Naruto, Hinata…" said Akira, his eyes peeled on Jago and Chizome. "I have to fight them. Be careful with this man; whatever history you may have, he is no longer who he may have been." With that Akira sped off in a blur towards Chizome and Jago, and the three then vanished into the village, leaving Kira alone with Naruto and Hinata.

"Kira…" said Naruto slowly, now steeping forward as though being drawn by some intangible force. "You're really alive…you're alive!" Naruto then broke out in a smile, and ran to his friend to embrace him, but as soon as he came a few feet from him, he felt as though he had been hit with a bag of weights. Naruto flew back through the air, landing hard on the ground. Hinata gasped as Naruto flew, but Kira remained unchanged, the shocked look and tearful eyes still present.

"K-Kira?" asked Naruto, completely confused as to why his friend would treat him thusly. "What are you doing?! It's me, Naruto!"

"N-Naruto…" whispered Kira again, the same look in his eyes, the same trembling on his lips.

_My best friend…my hero…my greatest rival…_

Kira's eyes slowly ventured over to where Hinata sheepishly stood, holding her right hand up to her face, almost as though she had reawakened old habits in this fateful reunion.

_My love…my desire…my greatest loss…my greatest failure…_

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you!" shouted Naruto, hints of rage now peeking though his words. Kira did not reply, rather he maintained his stare at Hinata, the girl he loved more than anything.

_She always liked Naruto more…she never paid any attention to me…no one did…_

"Kira-kun!" said Hinata breathlessly. "W-what are you doing?"

"You were dead…" said Kira softly. "They told me you were dead…that I had killed you in my rage…"

"What are you saying?" asked Hinata. "We thought you were dead!"

"No…" said Kira. "You were dead…they all said so…they all saw me…"

"Kira!" shouted Naruto, even more rage filling his tone. "What is wrong with you?! It's us! Your friends!"

"I don't have any friends!" screamed Kira, his typically soft-spoken voice exploding into an unbridled burst of fury. "They're dead! All of them are dead!"

"Kira, listen to me!" continued Naruto. "You didn't kill us, we aren't dead! It's me, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Kira's eyes began to feel strained, and the Tenmongan began to flicker and fade. It was at this moment that Kira began to hear a voice in his mind, a voice that he had not heard in a long time.

_I am ready. Use me, and I will give peace to your mind as I did before._

"What?" asked Kira, looking down and to the right as though trying to peer inside his body. "Why are you here?"

_I am ready. Use me, and I will give peace to your mind as I did before._

"Yeah…" said Kira slowly. "I think you're right…" Kira then closed his eyes and began making a long series of signs, muttering their names under his breath as though part of some haunted chant.

"Kira?" asked Naruto. "What are you doing?' Kira ignored him, instead continuing unphased in his recitation.

"Boar, rabbit, tiger, tiger, ram…" finished Kira, finally opening his eyes. Naruto and Hinata gasped as they looked upon them; whereas before they boasted a glowing red shuriken-like symbol, now there was a bright white spot at the center of his pupil, the shuriken marks now glowing even more radiantly than before.

"Kira-san?" said Naruto slowly, and Kira smiled towards him.

"Summoning art: Fenrir."

--

"Hurry up, Jago!" shouted Chizome as the two fled from the scene, Akira close on their trail. Jago was beginning to lag behind, and from what Chizome could see, Akira was catching up to him.

"This is far enough anyway," said Jago, now deliberately slowing down.

"Jago! What are you doing!"

"You go ahead and catch up with Tetsuma's group," said Jago. "I will handle him."

"You're too weak to handle this guy!" retorted Chizome.

"I am not weak…" growled Jago. "And it's about time you and the others stop disrespecting me."

"Fine," said Chizome. "Don't die." With that command, Chizome leaped off into the trees outside the village, and Jago stopped.

"Where is your friend going?" asked Akira, now stopped about twenty yards away from Jago.

"He is leaving this land," answered Jago. "I will be dealing with you now."

"And who are you?"

"I am Jago Kotetsu," he replied proudly. "I am proud to be able to take your life."

"Your comrades seem to like that phrase," said Akira, his rings now beginning to resonate softly. Jago smirked, and gave a little laugh.

"We have great respect for those with strength," answered Jago. "It gives us great honor to do battle with such worthy foes. Warrior versus warrior, no greater encounter is there than this."

"You sound like a weathered ninja," said Akira. "You look young, but you speak as though you have met against many enemies."

"You could say that…" replied Jago softly, as his mind began to wander back in time. "Many enemies…"

_I will not be disrespected…never again!_

_Jago stepped softly through the palace, his footsteps echoing like heartbeats across the chambers. He had yet again failed in his mission against the insurgents, and Lord Doto would not be pleased. Through another doorway he passed, until he reached the main chamber of the palace. The cold air filled his lungs and his breath exhaled into a misty cloud. Ahead of him stood a tall platform, upon which rested a fine wooden throne hidden by shadows. A figure sat upon this throne, and through the shadows similar foggy mists emerged with each breath.  
_

"_You have failed me yet again…" grumbled a low, hate-filled voice. "Jago, you are worthless to me."  
_

"_I would have succeeded…" argued Jago with a pleading voice. "But the men you gave me…they were weak…"  
_

"_I named you captain for your skill, and yet you cannot even improve the ability of your subordinates. You are a poor leader, Jago Kotetsu."  
_

"_My Lord, I only ask for better ninja," countered Jago. "These mercenaries you assign to me are at the same skill as our fey, and they are practically worthless! Leave these naives to the guard duty where they belong, and give me ninja!"  
_

"_Your comrades are better than you in every way," said Doto, apparently ignoring Jago's plea. "That is why they have been given the chakra armor, and you have been denied."  
_

"_I don't need it," said Jago. "I think it is worthless; that armor doesn't show true ability. I am twice the ninja they are!"  
_

"_I am tired of listening to your complaints. Be gone."  
_

"_But Lord Doto…!"  
_

"_Be gone!" demanded Doto again, his loud voice echoing throughout the chamber as though they were surrounded by a brigade. Jago wanted to argue back, but he kept his peace, turned and stormed out of the chamber.  
_

_Jago burst out of __the doors__ of the palace and slammed them shut with his back against them.  
_

"_Damn you!" he cursed, tears now flooding his eyes, his teeth clenched in an agglomeration of rage and sorrow. "Why do you treat me this way?! What the hell did I do to deserve this!"  
_

"_So says the worthless servant…" said the voice of a woman from off to the right. Jago immediately recognized this voice to belong to Fubuki Kakuyoku. She then stepped into his field of vision, sporting arrogantly her new chakra armor.  
_

"_Get lost," said Jago coldly, but Fubuki ignored him, rather continuing her sultry sidle towards him.  
_

"_I couldn't help but overhear you getting reamed by Lord Doto," she continued, brushing her lavender hair out of her eyes. "Sounds like you really screwed up this time."  
_

"_I said get lost!" shouted Jago, jumping up and sprinting towards her. Fubuki didn't move, and Jago, lost in his rage, went in for the attack.  
_

"_Hiken!" (Ice blade)  
_

_With a spray of crystals his attack burst as it connected with her armor, and in his surprise his guard was let down. Fubuki then kneed him in the stomach, followed by a round house kick to his head. Jago flew off and landed on his stomach, blood spurting from his mouth.  
_

"_Doto is right, you are worthless," said Fubuki as Jago struggled to breath. "It's a good thing I never respected you; in fact I thought Doto was a fool for even promoting you in the first place."  
_

"_Go…to…hell…!" stammered Jago. Fubuki looked at him with false surprise.  
_

"_Go where now?" she asked. "Do yourself a favor and flee this land, and die however you please, you worthless ninja." Fubuki then vanished, leaving Jago alone in the cold snow, tears now pouring down his young face. He then shot up to his feet and ran off, stumbling away down the hillside._

"All my life I have been looked down upon," said Jago softly, his eyes closed. "Always they treated me like I was some kind of idiot…and this is why I must stop you, to vindicate my suffering, to prove that my life really is worth living."

"That is an unfortunate position for you," replied Akira. "Against me, you will not survive."

"I am aware of the risk…" countered Jago. "And I am willing to take it."

"Very well," said Akira, now adjusting his rings. "Ninpou: dakasui" (Ninja art: muddy water)

"Koori bushin no jutsu!" (Ice clones technique)

--

A fiery burst of smoke erupted before Kira as he set the final sign. Naruto and Hinata both shielded their eyes with their arms, and as the fire and smoke dissipated a figure appeared, not human in form.

"What gall you have to force me to appear…" growled the figure in a raspy voice from within the cloud of smoke. "I hope you are ready to face the consequences."

"Fenrir, my old friend…" said Kira softly. "That forbidden sword, Hoshiken, is mine, and I demand that you give it to me." Finally the dust and smoke cleared enough, revealing a huge red and silver wolf, its huge fangs bared as it looked upon Kira. Upon the wolf's back there was a large sheath with the handle of a katana visible.

"Whoa…"gasped Naruto as he looked upon the fearsome-looking beast.

"The sword is rightfully yours, but…" said Fenrir. "It only brought the worst out of you. It has corrupted your mind, and polluted your conscience. Because of this sword, hundreds, even thousands have died needlessly. As such, I cannot let you have it, for fear that you will resume your wicked ways."

"Damn it, wolf! Give it to me!"

"I cannot," replied Fenrir calmly.

"You are making a terrible mistake!" shouted Kira, his eyes bulging from rage, the Tenmongan glowing even brighter. "You will die here, my old friend; you cannot escape the jutsu I summoned you with while I maintain the technique."

"If in my death I can destroy this blade, I will."

Naruto was very confused; here was his old friend, alive and well, but now completely demented and evil, arguing with a great wolf over some sword called the Hoshiken. Without warning the wolf lunged at Kira, its fangs and claws bared, ready to tear Kira apart, limb from limb.

"Goodbye, old friend…" said Kira softly, and Fenrir flew back in the air, landing many yards away with a yelp. Hinata gasped in fear as she saw blood appearing in the wolf's fur. "You were always so good to me…"

_What was that?_ thought Hinata. _It looked like he attacked him with…_

"Kira, what are you doing?!" shouted Naruto.

"But now…" continued Kira to Fenrir, again ignoring Naruto. "You are my enemy." He then walked over to the wolf and pulled out the sword from the sheath on the wolf's back. "Long have I desired to touch this blade once more…to feel its power…"

"Y-you…" stammered Fenrir. "Why…?"

"Be gone," said Kira cruelly, and he raised the sword up into the air, the blade hanging down over Fenrir's body. At this same moment, Hinata made her move. Moving like lightning across the ground she flew at Kira, her Jyuuken ready to strike.

"Hinata…" said Kira softly, and again Hinata saw with her Ikemasen Byakugan what had hit Fenrir – a wave, emanating from Kira's eyes coming straight at her with incredible speed. In this wave she could see thoughts, as though Kira was launching at her his own emotions in some physical, tangible form. However, although she could see the attack coming, it was moving simply to fast for her to dodge.

The wave of emotion crashed into Hinata's body, coursing through her body and throwing her back in a like manner to Fenrir. As she landed, blood began to drip from her mouth, and every muscle in her body felt as though they had been torn.

"Hinata!" shouted Naruto, but Hinata did not respond, rather she lay still upon the ground as the pain seared in her body. Fenrir, taking advantage of Kira's distraction, vanished with a massive puff of smoke.

"I did not kill her…" said Kira softly after the smoke subsided. "But now that Fenrir has escaped my jutsu, I wish I had."

"Kira, why are you doing this?" asked Naruto. "What in the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Naruto…I am no longer the person you once knew."

"I can't believe that," replied Naruto. "I won't believe that!"

"You were my best friend…" said Kira softly. "You were my hero…but now, my old life is gone. This is all that remains." Kira looked longingly at the sword he stole from Fenrir.

"What is that?" asked Naruto.

"Hoshiken," said Kira almost lustfully. "My sword, my world…it gave me strength in my youth, and now, it again is with its master."

"Kira-san…" said Naruto softly, his voice now tinged with sorrow. "If you aren't the friend I once knew, and if you are in league with these murderers, then you are one of them, and I cannot let you live."

"That is your duty, as a ninja of Konoha," answered Kira. "I implore you, fight with me like the old days. I am most honored to be the one to take your life, Naruto Uzumaki, my best friend."

**New for Saturday, 11/19/08: KIRA MARAKI VERSUS NARUTO UZUMAKI**

**BONUS!** Yeah, I'm bummed about the election. But I will find a way to manage. Please read Lord Gale119's fantastic prequel, "Kira: Heir to the Heaven's Gate Eye". Please please please! Due to an overwhelming work load at school and work, the next chapter won't be released until the 19th of November. I apologize for this inconvenience.

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
• Jago Kotetsu: The silver-haired ninja as he is commonly called, Jago is an exile from the Land of Snow. Before Doto was defeated by Princess Koyumi and the Konoha ninja, Jago was a captain in Doto's ninja armies, but fell out of favor after several botched missions and vanished from the land after an encounter with Tetsuma Hyuga. His life before Doto's service is unknown; it is rumored he is originally from the Land of Waves. Jago's specialty is with ice, most likely a combination of water techniques learned in the Land of Waves (theoretically) and freezing techniques from the Land of Snow…but no one really knows. He is usually teamed up with Chizome during missions – and he absolutely hates it. His signature technique involves ice clones, and with these clones he has never once lost a battle – even against fire users.


	18. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17: KIRA MARAKI VERSUS NARUTO UZUMAKI**

_Written while soaring 30,000 feet above the great Midwest…and by the way, Philadelphia as a city just plain sucks. Sorry Philly fans… The opening scene came to me in the shower in case any of you were wondering. I guess that Zest soap really is the best._  
_**SUPER BIRTHDAY SURPRISE! THIS CHAPTER IS BEING DEDICATED TO MY BIGGEST FAN IN ALL THE PHILLIPINES: SHIKAMARU01! HAPPY 16TH!**_

The two boys smiled brightly at one another across the sunny, green meadow. One, a scrappy young blond with a well-worn orange jumpsuit, whisker marks along his cheeks, the other a handsome brown haired child, his pale blue eyes glistening in the welcoming and warm sunlight.

"Kira, you've become my best friends!" shouted out Naruto gleefully. "We'll always be friends, won't we?"

"Always!" replied Kira ecstatically. "You are my best friend too!"

"Then get ready!" shouted Naruto. "Give me your best shot!" Naruto then summoned a clone and powered up a rasengan, while Kira activated his Tenmongan eyes, at this young age merely a triangular shape around his irises.

"You got it!" answered Kira, and he started running towards Naruto, both with huge smiles upon their young faces. Closer and closer they came, but as they did they began to change. Their bodies began to grow taller and larger, and even their outfits changed from children's clothes to fine adult garb. Their faces, however, changed from smiles and joy to fear and, in Kira's case, pure rage.

"Rasengan!" shouted Naruto, thrusting the small, blue sphere forward at Kira's rapidly approaching body.

"Die!" screamed Kira. Just as Naruto was about to connect, a wave of force similar to what he had been hit with earlier came again, and once again he was thrown back, coming to a crashing halt on the ground. The rasengan dissipated, and Naruto, now having been hit twice with the forceful attack, began to feel blood pooling beneath his tongue.

"Four years, and still you use the same move on me," laughed Kira, the blade Hoshiken held tightly in his hands. His eyes now were maniacal, twisted and hateful, and Naruto looked up at him with heavy breathing and twinges of pain.

"What happened to you?" he asked his old friend. "Kira, why are you like this!? You said we would be friends forever!"

"Only a fool would buy into such a promise," continued Akira, now slowly stepping towards Naruto. "Only a naïve, moronic fool."

"Don't say such things!" shouted Naruto angrily. "A promise is a promise!"

"Tell me, do you still pine after that traitor Sasuke?" asked Kira. Naruto felt a lump begin to well up in his throat through the pain, and anger began to trickle into his mind like a leaky faucet. "Do you still waste all your energy trying to tie up loose ends, to rescue those who cannot be rescued?"

"Shut up…" growled Naruto, his rage now beginning to take form within him.

"Do you still spend every bit of emotion you have trying to find that little traitor, that pawn of selfish lust…" continued Kira. Naruto felt his heart rate increase, and he knew the fox would try to intervene.

_Just let me at him…_ said the fox spirit. _I'll take care of this little prick._

_No, we work together now,_ replied Naruto's mind. _Together we are much stronger than we are apart. Just give me a second to figure this out, okay?_

"Do you still fight for those who are lost?" asked Kira derisively and softly, and by now Naruto's rage had peaked.

"Shut the hell up!" he screamed, and he leaped to his feet and began to charge at Kira again. As he did, his face began to change, and almost immediately he entered Sage mode.

_I really like this ring!_ thought Naruto, this one pleasant thought peeking through the rage.

"What is this?" asked Kira with a ponderous yet fearfully insane tone. "So you've improved your techniques…I like this!" Naruto charged head-on at Kira, much the same as the previous attempt, and Kira shook his head in disappointment.

"Rasengan!" shouted Naruto again.

"Pitiful…" sighed Kira. "The same attack…?" At this moment as Naruto sailed through the air towards him, Kira finally noticed that something was in fact different – Naruto's hands were free of any chakra. There was no rasengan. Naruto, although in transit, noticed Kira's expression change ever so slightly as he realized this fact, and with that notice he smiled wryly.

"Got you," he said, and Kira heard the footsteps behind him. As Kira turned, he saw the same blue sphere Naruto had used before, its carrier clearly a Naruto clone.

_When?!_ thought Kira. _When did he create this clone?_

Kira did not have enough time – no matter what he did, he was going to get hit. However, even in those fractions of a second, the choice was clear: rasengan would be much worse than a punch from Naruto. Kira opened his Enkyokou Tenmongan eyes wider, and with another forceful wave of emotion he knocked away the attacking clone. At the same time, Naruto thrust his fist at Kira's head but Kira, despite even his own expectations, anticipated Naruto's attack and ducked just as his fist would have connected with the back of his head. Naruto flew past Kira awkwardly and crashed into the ground – but instead of landing Naruto simply disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What?!" asked Kira, and it was then he saw the shadow beneath him.

"Now for something my friend Gamabunta taught me!" called out yet another Naruto from high above Kira in the air. "Seijiin jutsu: Kazeshuriken!" (Sage Art: Wind Shuriken)

Naruto's fingers began to glow with light blue chakra, whisping off his fingers and quickly taking the shape of small blades. He then waved his hands as if throwing kunai, and the whisps flew from his fingers towards Kira, whistling as they shot through the air. It was at his time that Kira's focus increased, and he scowled at the incoming jutsu with his radiant eyes.

"Hmph…"he grunted, and to Naruto's complete shock and surprise Kira dodged each and every wind shuriken with movements that would make Rock Lee blush. The wind shuriken instead sliced into the ground, stirring up a good measure of dust, and at once Kira leaped into the air towards Naruto.

"That was a nice trick," said Kira. "My turn." Kira slashed at Naruto with Hoshiken, but Naruto was ready, and he bit his thumb and made a series of signs at a dizzying pace.

"Gamakatana!"

A frightening clash of steel sounded and a spray of sparks flew in all directions as sword met in mid-air, and Kira and Naruto were pushed away perpendicularly in opposite directions, both landing simultaneously about twenty yards apart. Kira's gaze had turned from maniacal fervor to pure hatred, eyebrows furled and eyes held low as he stared. Hoshiken was now beginning to glow with an eerie iridescence, though Kira seemed to pay no mind to it.

Naruto likewise stared, Gamakatana held firmly in his right hand, though now its brilliance and beauty was marred by a sizeable chip in its blade – the same spot where it had met with Hoshiken seconds earlier. Naruto saw this, and was shocked; although he had only had this sword for a few months, it never once lost its brilliance nor perfect form in battle. Even when struck against bare rock it had escaped unscathed, without a scratch or single blemish. But now, with one strike against Kira's blade, it had broken.

"You chipped my sword…" said Naruto softly.

"Hoshiken is no ordinary blade," replied Kira with a soft, cruel voice, his gaze unchanging through his words. "It is the crucible in which all the sorrow, anger, hatred, rage, and suffering of ancestors was kept, and now culminated together it is pure power, power which rightfully is mine."

"Power, whatever…" said Naruto disapprovingly. "I've seen many like you, Kira. They think everything is about power. I used to be the same way, but you know what? What we think is power, really is nothing. Friendship, kindness, love…these things make men great." For a moment the two sat in silence, neither moving a muscle. After what seemed like a minute, however, Kira spoke.

"Small words…" he said in his cruel tone. "This life is punishment, a tortuous rack upon which our souls are stretched and torn. Only sorrow exists in this realm, and that sorrow and pain is what governs all in mortality. You see, Naruto-kun, what you think of power is merely weakness. What is imbued in this sword, this dark emotion, this pure, unadulterated emotion….this is what power truly is!" At those words Kira started to run towards Naruto, and Naruto prepared himself.

"Kira, you know nothing…" said Naruto with a distinct melancholy, and he raised his sword to the fast-approaching Kira. "Please, don't make me do this…" Another spray of sparks, another clang of steel, and the battle resumed between the two long-lost friends, now locked into a match that both knew would only end in one result – death.

--

With a mighty puff of smoke and a wave of chilled air, Akira found himself surrounded by an army of silver-haired Jago clones, all looking menacingly at him.

"Ice clones?" asked Akira, and the original Jago grinned.

"My clones never lose," retorted Jago proudly. "Doto was always proud of them. He even made me a captain of his armies thanks to them."

"Doto?" asked Akira. "You were a ninja of the Snow country?"

"For a time, yes," answered Jago. "Now I'm an exile. I still have hired assassins after me, even after these years, eager to claim their long-sought prize. Last I heard, I had 35,000,000 ryou as my bounty."

"You must be very proud," said Akira. "Not many men your age can survive long with such a price on their heads."

"Thank you for the compliment," replied Jago. "My price is my greatest asset; with it, I have made many associations and influenced many regimes. But enough talk – shall we begin?"

Jago gave a slight wave of his hands, and one by one the clones swept in for the attack. The first one approached, its fist raised ready to deliver a crushing blow. Akira, on the other hand, stood still and watched closely, his eyes peering from side to side even with the approaching danger. The Jago clone then jumped into the air, and with a shout sailed towards Akira.

"Idiot…" muttered Jago, but then something happened he did not expect. As if out of nowhere, a dark spear shot out of the ground at Akira's feet, piercing the clone's chest with a sound reminiscent of the shattering of glass, and with a spray of broken ice the clone flew apart in pieces, landing on the ground and melting back into plain water that soaked the earth beneath.

Another clone flew at him in a similar fashion, then another, followed by another, and all three met similar fates: three mud spears, shooting out from the ground, piercing the clones and shattering them into pieces. Ten more clones then attacked, this time two and three simultaneously, but to no avail – Akira's spears did not miss, and quickly the ground around him began to feature standing water from the shattered and melted clones.

"So that's what Shirokuma was talking about," called out Jago. "Your ultimate defense, dakasui…" (muddy water)

"It comes in handy," replied Akira, still having not moved a muscle in the attack.

"This is an interesting twist of fate," continued Jago. "We both are water users; technically neither has the advantage, unless, of course…"

"Of course what?"

"Unless ice trumps mud," continued Jago with a cruel tone. He then set his hands in the sign of 'ram', and Akira got ready. Four more clones began their charge in an identical form as their predecessors, and again the mud spears shattered them – but only the first three. The fourth, on the other hand, was different.

As the spear stabbed into the chest of the fourth clone, Akira saw with definite concern the shape of the chest change. A hole appeared just where the spear stabbed, and thus it passed cleanly through the clone's body without causing any damage whatsoever.

"Crap…" muttered Akira, and he leaped backwards as the clone's fist swung at him, missing and striking the ground with unusual force. Jago gave a smirk, and Akira, just about to land, knew exactly why – he was vulnerable.

"Ninpou: hyosho!" shouted Jago. (Ninja art: ice crystals)

Out of the standing puddles of water several blue, jagged blades of ice shot out with tremendous speed towards Akira.

_To think he's pushed me this far…_ thought Akira, the Dragon ring now resonating. _He is an excellent strategist – analyzing my weaknesses with surprisingly simple attacks, then intentionally getting me into a vulnerable situation, all within seconds. He would make a fantastic ally…_

Akira tried to maneuver through the air to avoid the spikes, but could only avoid them so far. While the first several he dodged, the last one he could not, and the sharp-edged ice spike sliced into his left shoulder, emitting a spray of blood as it tore through his shirt.

"Gah!" he screamed in pain, and Jago began to laugh.

"Shirokuma is such a wimp!" he chided. "You really aren't all that difficult, Akira-san. My ice clones are unique from regular shadow clones. While they can act on their own with my chakra, I have developed a technique in which I can control even their shapes; after all, they are just ice." The spikes then melted and fell into puddles as did the shattered clones, leaving Akira on the ground clutching his shoulder in agony.

"D-damn…it…!" cursed Akira as the pain in his shoulder began to sear. "What did you do to me?!"

"Over the years I have found ways to infuse poisons into my jutsu," said Jago bluntly, weaving another set of signs. "Seriously, the others underestimate me. They have no idea that I alone could wipe them all out." Jago finished the series of signs, and his right hand began to glow blow with chakra.

"Hipou: hikatana." (Ice art: ice sword)

The blue chakra began to take shape, and with a flash it solidified into a blade made entirely out of ice. Jago stepped closer and closer to the wincing Akira, still clutching his shoulder, sweat now beginning to pour down his face.

_This poison…it is attacking my chakra…_ he thought.

"I could just let the poison do its work," said Jago coldly. "But I think you would much rather be free of this pain quickly, right?"

Akira's eyes peered on towards the approaching Jago with angst; they were no longer green, instead now a deep red.

_The chakra from the Dragon ring will heal the poison…but I've overused it lately. I'm not sure how much time it will take._

"That's right…"said Jago with unusual glee. "Let me feel the full power of the Sugiyama clan. Don't hold back, Akira-san; do so, and I will be very disappointed."

"Is that what you want?" asked Akira, his voice now becoming raspy and harsh as the Dragon chakra began to seep out of the ring into his body.

"More than anything, replied Jago with a smile. "To show my superiority over my fellow Daggers, I would wish for nothing else."

"Sounds like a yes to me," said Akira, the pain now beginning to dissipate, though he did his best to make sure his face said otherwise. "Fine then, you got it."

"This is what I'm talking about!" he cried out exuberantly. "Give me everything! Your full strength!"

_I only need to hold it for a few more seconds…_ thought Akira, doing all he could to hide the fact that he only could maintain the Dragon transformation much longer. Jago looked upon Akira with a smile, anticipating the attack that surely was about to come, but after a few seconds, his face quickly turned sour.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" he shouted. "Attack me, damn it!"

_Just a little longer…_

"That's it!" shouted Jago angrily, his demeanor becoming unhinged. Jago then walked hastily over to Akira, still hunched over on the ground clutching his arm. "You have no honor…and for this you will die." Jago placed the ice blade against the back of Akira's neck, the cold, sharp ice causing him to shiver as it touched his spine.

"You're right…" said Akira softly. "I have no honor, but I will regain it by defeating you and your organization." Akira then let go of his should and fell a little having to catch himself from hitting the ground with both hands.

"Hmph…" grunted Jago. "What can you do in this state? You can't even summon your own power. I'm just going to get this over with if you don't mind."

"Do as you must, but I have no intention of giving up."

"What?" asked Jago, and Akira gave a slight smile as he spoke under his breath.

"Ninpou: iwakanketsusen." (Rocky Geyser)

The ground beneath Jago's feet began to rumble, and he looked around confusedly.

"W-what's going on?" he asked as he began to wobble back and forth from the vibrations. Then, with a mighty burst, the ground beneath him burst as a jet of water and rocks shot up from the crevasse. Jago jumped and tried to avoid the spray, but was unsuccessful as the jet pushed him high into the air. However, though caught in the jutsu, Jago was able to protect himself from the large rocks projected at him from the geyser, slicing them into pieces with ease with his ice blade, all while Akira prepared his next attack. The rocks, after all, were merely a distraction to keep Jago from seeing Akira's ending move. Akira made a series of unusual signs, and his hands began to glow with swirling blue and black whisps of chakra.

_This ends now…_ thought Akira, his emotion now flooding into his heart and mind. Thoughts of his village, his friends, his family…all taken away because of this man and his organization…

"Kinjutsu…" he whispered. "Nususekei." (Forbidden art: life shaver)

--

Might Guy and his team consisting of Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten sped through the vast forest of the Fire County. Their destination was the coast, where they hoped a boat would be able to ferry them across the sea to the Country of Water.

"Sensei!" said Lee with unusual enthusiasm. "We need to hurry to the Country of Water! This pace will not do!"

"Damn it, Lee…" muttered Neji under his breath.

"We've pushed ourselves enough as is," added Tenten. Guy, on the other hand, smiled big and raised his thumb.

"Lee, you are very right!" he said with glee. "We must double our speed! If we don't, trouble will surely come upon the Country of Water!"

"Yes!" cried out Lee, and without further warning he began jumping from tree to tree even faster, separating himself quickly from the others.

"Sensei, we can't do it…" panted Tenten. "We've barely rested since we left Konoha!"

"It is sad, but I think you are right," said Guy with considerable sorrow. "Lee! Slow down!" Lee, however, was already significantly beyond them, but had left a sign on a tree for the others pointing down towards some bushes along the ground. Guy saw this, and silently the three leaped down and found Lee hiding in the bush.

"Someone is coming," said Lee in a whisper. Neji activated his byakugan and looked out where Lee pointed. Surely enough, three figures were approaching, leaping from tree to tree like ninja.

"Three of them," said Neji. "They appear to be ninja, from how they move, but…"

"But what?" asked Tenten. Neji's eyes squinted.

"They are wearing Konoha headbands," he replied. "But I have never seen these ninja before…damn it! Watch out!" Neji grabbed Lee and Tenten by the collars and pulled them out of the bush, quickly followed by Guy as a barrage of kunai littered with exploding tags pelted the bush, then exploding with fury, sending splinters of wood and broken trees in all directions.

"Looks like we got them," said a man's voice as the dust settled.

"No," said a woman's voice. "They are still alive. Two are over there to the right, behind that tree there, and two more to the left near the ground. Be careful, Itami – one of them is a Hyuga."

**New for Saturday, November 22, 2008: KIRA'S TEARS – JAGO'S DECISION**

**BONUS!** So as you all know, I have spent the last week in Philadelphia, PA attending the National AIChE convention (American Institute of Chemical Engineers). I gave a presentation at this conference on the rheological phenomena observed in partially fractured and reformed waxy oil gels, and it was a great success. I am very grateful for you patience these last couple weeks, and I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. I know that they have been shorter, but as my wife so eloquently put it: plot is easy to draw out – battle is very, very difficult. So anyway, I will put out the next chapter on Saturday. Keep spreading the word!

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
• Jago Kotetsu: The silver-haired ninja as he is commonly called, Jago is an exile from the Land of Snow. Before Doto was defeated by Princess Koyumi and the Konoha ninja, Jago was a captain in Doto's ninja armies, but fell out of favor after several botched missions and vanished from the land after an encounter with Tetsuma Hyuga. His life before Doto's service is unknown; it is rumored he is originally from the Land of Waves. Jago's specialty is with ice, most likely a combination of water techniques learned in the Land of Waves (theoretically) and freezing techniques from the Land of Snow…but no one really knows. He is usually teamed up with Chizome during missions – and he absolutely hates it. His signature technique involves ice clones, and with these clones he has never once lost a battle – even against fire users.


	19. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18: KIRA'S TEARS – JAGO'S DECISION**

_Yeah, I realized I repeated the Get To Know Your Bad Guys section in the last chapter. I will try not to make that mistake again…_

The screech of steel-on-steel filled the air of the abandoned village in the Country of Lightning as Naruto and Kira fought fiercely. Naruto's sword, Gamakatana, was now beginning to show definite wear from the strikes of Hoshiken, Kira's sword which was completely unblemished. It was as they thus fought that Hinata's pain finally began to subside, and her lucidity returned. Amazingly, her Ikemasen Byakugan was still active, and what she saw as she looked up the two battling ninja was amazing. Waves of energy poured out of the bodies of both Kira and Naruto, looking like slow flows of water mingled with hazy light. Subtle differences between the waves were present; the waves proceeding from Kira's body were smooth and well formed, while Naruto's were erratic and turbulent, having no distinct form or shape. The color however, was the most visible difference. While Kira's waves had a slightly violet color, Naruto's were crimson as blood.

"What is this?" wondered Hinata as she looked onward. "Do emotions really take on this form?"

Beyond her, Kira landed a powerful blow which Naruto blocked, but the force of it knocked him back several yards. For a moment there was a moment of grace; neither moved, nor attacked, but more than that neither spoke, their eyes fixed upon each other, the rage in Kira's visage beginning to leach over into Naruto. Naruto's sage eyes had now changed from blue to red, his irises reverting from horizontal to vertical slits, the lines on his cheeks intensifying and his canines elongating.

"This is interesting…" muttered Kira after the moment of silence. "Your emotion is mixed – it looks like you still have that Fox inside of you."

Naruto didn't reply, but instead stared intensely at Kira, growling. Slowly a red haze began swirling around him, and as it did so Kira's eyes lit up.

"You are unleashing it on me?" he asked with a wondrous tone. "The Nine-Tailed Fox…only I could be so lucky…"

Hinata looked onward in horror; she had seen Naruto partially release the Fox spirit inside of him before, and each time was enough cause nightmares. Who knew what would happen here, however. Kira was powerful – possibly more so than Madara…or even Pain. Slowly Naruto's waves of emotion became smoother like Kira's, and it seemed that the more Fox chakra leaked out, the smoother they became.

"You are a jinchuuriki…" said Kira softly. "That explains so much…"

"I won't let you get away…" growled Naruto. Some of the red chakra began forming a tail at the base of his back, followed by a second and a third.

"I have to admit, this will be fun," said Kira. "I've never been able to fight a jinchuuriki before, not to mention a sage. I am honored to be the opponent of such a worthy foe." As the third tail formed, Naruto began feeling pain, and he turned his thoughts inward.

_All right, let's do this…we're friends now, so we work together, okay?_

_I am different now, you know this…_ said the Fox. _So how many tails should we release?_

_Six should do it…_ thought Naruto.

--

Akira's hand pulsated with blue and black chakra as he looked upward into the air. Surely enough, the rocks from his geyser were keeping Jago preoccupied as he fell, and it would not be difficult to deal the final blow. However, deep in Akira's mind a struggle was brewing, and with each passing moment it grew. Above, Jago looked to be enjoying himself while splitting the rocks mingled with sprays from the geyser.

"Hyah!" he shouted with childish glee as he spliced through a particularly large boulder. Now Jago was only about fifteen feet above the ground, and finally out of the corner of his eye he saw Akira preparing for the kill. "Oh no…" muttered Jago. He was right to panic; Akira had him in check-mate. If Jago placed his attention to countering Akira's attack, he would be left open from attack from the geyser, and if he ignored Akira, he would surely be killed.

"There's no way out…" said Akira softly. Jago's eyes grew wide as he slashed away another boulder, but by then it was too late. The end would come momentarily, and he closed his eyes tightly as he awaited the blow.

_I'm such a fool to be caught in this trap…_ thought Jago, sorrow flooding his heart like a broken dam. _Fubuki was right…I am a worthless ninja…I deserve to die._

Images flashed through Jago's mind – all of them filled with pain and sorrow. His failure before Doto, his rejection by Fubuki, the hundreds he killed at Tetsuma's command, the unending loneliness…in fact, Jago could not think of a single moment in his life where he had been happy. Perhaps this was the reason he was so anxious to face Akira alone. Had Chizome intervened, Jago would have likely walked out of this battle alive. After all, it was no secret that Jago wanted nothing more than to be killed in battle, for he hated himself more than anyone else in the world.

_Here it comes…_ he thought, but then something happened he did not expect. Instead of feeling Akira's fist, he fell flat on the ground. The landing was hard, and all the air in Jago's lungs was forced out in a single sharp breath mingled with blood. Behind, the geyser vanished, and Jago heard Akira speak.

"Jago, get up," commanded Akira. Jago too a moment to get his head together; he was sure his death was coming, but now he was in slight shock. Nevertheless, after a brief moment he complied with Akira's request and stood up.

"What's wrong, Akira-san?" asked Jago. "Why didn't you just kill me when you had the chance?"

"I want to give you a choice," answered Akira. "You are a powerful foe, and I feel it a waste to destroy someone as talented and young as you. Therefore I offer you this choice: forsake the life you had before, and help me defeat the Twelve Cloaked Daggers."

"And if I refuse?"

"I will not hesitate to destroy you," said Akira, again activating the Life Shaver jutsu. Jago looked into Akira's eyes with a puzzled look.

"You want me to abandon my brethren and join forces with you?" he asked.

"That is correct."

"Very interesting…" said Jago, stroking his chin. "But how can you trust me?"

"I admit, trusting others so blindly is one of my weaknesses," said Akira. "But you fight with honor and strategy. Your moves, your choices, they speak to your character. I think you are only a villain by happenstance, not choice, and it is upon this that I am placing my trust, that inside your heart yearns for something more in this life beyond riches or power. And if you follow me and my comrades, you will find what you seek. I promise."  
Jago stood in silence for moment, stroking his chin and looking down at the ground near Akira's feet. A small tear began to slide down Jago's cheek after this moment, and he closed his eyes.

_A new start…a new existence…_

"I accept…" said Jago slowly and softly, his emotion peeking through his voice. Akira released the Life Shaver jutsu and smiled.

"I am happy about thi-…" began Akira, but before he could finish an enormous crashing noise accompanied by a quake shook the ground around them. Over the trees a huge cloud of smoke and dust erupted in the direction of the village, followed by horrifying roars.

"What in the hell…?" asked Akira.

--

Hinata's eyes grew wide as she stood trembling, looking upon the terrifying sight. Naruto had released six tails of the Fox Cloak, and his body now seemed more Fox-like than human, standing now about twelve feet tall, his eyes and mouth glowing bright white. His body looked to be writhing in flames, and the six tails whipped around violently, Gamakatana still gripped in his right hand. However, despite all the frightening imagery, Naruto seemed to be in control.

"Naruto!" called out Hinata unexpectedly, but as soon as she had she tried to stop the words from leaving her mouth.

"Hinata-chan…"growled Naruto. "Don't get any closer. You will get hurt if you do. Go find Akira and help him – leave Kira to me."

"But…" stammered Hinata. "I don't want to leave you, Naruto! I want to help you!"

"Go now!" commanded Naruto. "I will be fine, I promise." Hinata then nodded hesitatingly, and she ran off in the direction that Akira had run.

"Such confidence!" mocked Kira, his expression in complete delight at the prospect of fighting Naruto at this level. "I love it! Now, release all this pent-up emotion! Let me feel the full power of Naruto Uzumaki!"

"You know one of us will die…" growled Naruto. "I don't want to kill you, but I will do what's necessary to protect those I care about!"

"That of course is your choice," said Kira softly. "Let's finish this, why don't we?" Kira then charged at Naruto, brandishing the flawless Hoshiken. Kira's eyes then began to flicker, and he began to shout as though in pain.

"Hyah!!!" he screamed, and he slashed at Naruto who easily blocked the attack, but to his horror the blow shattered Gamakatana. Shards of steel flew in all directions, and Naruto, even with six tails release, was knocked backwards.

"Gyah ha ha!" shrieked Kira maniacally. "You are weak, Naruto! I'm the stronger one! You here me?! Ha ha ha!!!" Naruto growled angrily as he looked down at the broken sword.

_Gamakichi and Gamabunta are going to kill me…_

"Now that your stupid little knife is gone, this will be a lot easier," said Kira, and with that he charged again at Naruto. Kira against slashed at Naruto with Hoshiken, but Naruto was ready for it. With a sharp clang Naruto caught the blade in his right hand, his face stopping mere inches from Kira, who began to wince as the Fox chakra burned his skin.

"I will stop you…" growled Naruto, but to that Kira smiled.

"Not likely." Just as before, Naruto felt a wave of force, much stronger than the last, slam into his Fox-transformed body, and he was sent flying through air until he landed with a tremendous crash that sent a huge plume of smoke and dust up in the air. The ground shook for a moment, and as the dust settled, Kira's smile turned into a frown.

"That would have killed ten men at once," said Kira disappointedly. "Looks like it didn't even scratch you." Naruto's growls intensified, and as Kira gained better view he could see that a seventh tail had emerged.

"You…how could you do this…" said Naruto, his voice now sounding like two combined in one. "I was your friend…and you were mine…"

"None of that matters now," said Kira. "Nothing from our earlier lives matters. All that matters now is my desire…my power…"

_Naruto, seven tails is too much!_ said the Fox. _If you die, I die. I can't allow that!_

"Shut up and help me with this!" grumbled Naruto. "If we don't try harder, it won't matter how many tails we release!"

_So what did you have in mind?_

"His eyes…they have some sort of power that can attack from distance."

_All attacks come from real energy,_ observed the Fox. _If we counter it with an equally energetic attack, we may be able to counter it._

"Talking to yourself?!" laughed Kira. "Ha! You've gotten so lame, Naruto-kun! I'm sorry, but you aren't my idol anymore. Gyah ha ha!"

"Right then," said Naruto to himself after consulting with the Fox.

"Naruto-kun," said Kira, his voice now sullen, his eyes open wide. "I'm afraid…I'm going to have to kill you." Kira's face slowly reverted back into his crazed smile, and again he began to charge with Hoshiken. At this same moment, Naruto held out his right hand, the claws and palm facing upward.

"Rasenshuriken…" he growled, and the familiar blue orb appeared in his hand, though as it grew, white, spinning blades appeared rotating around the center, making a whipping sound as they spun. Red Fox chakra then began to get caught up in the sphere, becoming larger and larger with a growing violet color.

"Ha ha ha! Die!!!" shrieked Kira, and with those words Naruto launched straight at him, shattering the ground beneath him as he tore across the earth. Kira's look became even more crazed as he saw Naruto flying towards him, and he prepared to release a massive wave of emotion through his Tenmongan.

"Kira!" shouted Naruto, and he thrust the Fox-infused rasenshuriken at Kira. He felt the muscles in his arm begin to tear, and the stress upon his bones steadily increased, and with a climactic clash the rasengan connected with Kira's wave of emotion. The ground shook and streams of energy shot out from the interaction, and Kira's expression began to grow concerned. Between them, bolts of energy and light flashed, and the force pushing against both Kira and Naruto was immense, forcing both to dig in their heels into the ground.

"H-how are you…?" stammered Kira as Naruto began to growl even louder. The rasengan shattered and flew apart against the force of the emotional wave, but still it retained its form and strength, and slowly Naruto pushed it closer and closer towards Kira.

"There are things greater in this world than power…" growled Naruto. "I wished you would have realized this by now…but it seems like the man I knew is gone."

"Gah!" shouted Kira, and he swung Hoshiken at the rasengan, but to his utter horror the blade cracked as it struck the sphere. "WHAT?!" With a spray of molten steel the blade of Hoshiken broke in two, spewing forth moaning and churning clouds of utter darkness into the surroundings.

"NO!!!" screamed Kira, tears beginning to stream out of his eyes. His strength suddenly faltered, and Naruto, pushing forward with all his might, finally broke through the barrier of emotion.

--

The smoke began to clear from the explosion in the fire country forest, and Might Guy and Rock Lee hid behind a large tree away from the epicenter. Beyond them Tenten and Neji likewise were hiding behind some bushy shrubs. Behind them all, the three strangers approached slowly.

"Sensei, we must fight them!" whispered Lee with intensity. "We have benefit of numbers!"

"No Lee…" said Guy, sweat rolling down his temples. "We must retreat back to the village. Neji and Tenten should see us and follow."

"What?!" asked Lee as loudly as he could with a whisper. "We are giving up? Why?"

"We are not giving up," said Guy. "You are my precious former students. I could handle seeing any of you die, and these enemies…they are powerful…"

"How do you know?"

"Did you not hear them?" asked Guy. "The woman said she could see us…but no normal person besides a Hyuga could have seen our position, not to mention our escape in that explosion."

"She can see us through this?" asked Lee. "That is interesting…"

"Then, are you ready?" asked Guy.

"Yes!" answered Lee with a salute. Guy then counted down from three with his fingers, and upon finishing he and Lee leaped off into the trees as quickly as they could.

"They're running?" asked Tenten as she saw Guy and Lee fly off into the trees. "Neji, let's go!"

"They are already almost here…" said Neji. "We will need a good escape."

"Clones?"

"That woman, I have seen those eyes before…" said Neji, looking back through the trees with his Byakugan. "I think I saw them in the Country of Stone when we were younger."

"What?!" gasped Tenten. "You're saying that woman has the same Kekkei Genkai as…?"

"That's what it looks like…" replied Neji. "If so, she will see through regular clones. Damn it, I wish Naruto was here."

"Well, I could always try something silly…" said Tenten. Neji looked back her with a confused look.

"Silly?"

"Sometimes the simplest actions can have great results," she replied, and she pulled out an array of kunai and shuriken. "We'll have to time this well." Beyond them on the forest floor, Ona, Itami, and Kurayami approached, Ona's deep red eyes fixed on their location.

"They're still there," she said. "The others are quite a distance from here already. The Hyuga boy is with a little girl over there in the bushes."

"I wonder what they're doing in there?" chided Itami with a perverted tone. "Sinful little children!"

"Now now, Itami," said Ona with a grin. "We shouldn't be so harsh to deal out judgement. Maybe they're in love…" Ona slowed her words as she peered into the bush about fifteen yards ahead of them, noticing Neji staring straight back at her.

"Ona! Look out!" cried Itami. Just then a cloud of weapons fell straight down from above them, forcing all three to jump out of the way.

"Now!" whispered Neji, and he and Tenten jumped off as quickly as they could through the trees along Guy's path. Behind them, Ona and the other two strangers quickly regrouped, but after a quick reconnaissance Ona frowned.

"Damn," she said disappointedly. "They got away."

"Well, it's not like we were actually trying," said Itami nonchalantly. "They were just some kids out in the forest. That's all."

"I hope you're right," said Ona. Behind her, Kurayami gave a slight grunt in agreement.

"Well," continued Itami. "Let's keep going."

--

Lady Tsunade sat quietly in her office, peering over some paperwork that Kotetsu had left for her. In her right hand was a pen, her left a cup of hot tea, and she sipped it with a mild slurping sound. Behind her she could hear a slight breeze coming in through the window, and for a moment she put down the pen and leaned back.

_I wonder what's going on out there…_ she thought, but no sooner had she done when a hawk appeared on her desk.

"What?" she asked the bird, who merely gave a squawk in reply. "You're one of Raikage's birds…" Tsunade unhooked a small container from the bird's leg, and immediately the bird flew off.

"Doesn't want to return any messages?" she asked. "That's a little odd…" She then opened the container and pulled out a small piece of paper and gasped as she read it.

_Lord Raikage has been killed…please avoid the Country of Lightning at all costs…the enemy is moving to the capital…half our villages have been destroyed…we are fleeing this land…save yourselves and build up your defenses…_

Tsunade put down the paper and clasped her hands lightly underneath her chin.

"This can't be happening…" she said softly. "There must be some mistake…" Suddenly she felt the touch of cold steel against her neck, and she gulped as she looked down to see a knife at her throat.

"No, Hokage-sama," said a voice from behind her, one that she recognized immediately to be the Mizukage. "It's all too real."

**New for Wednesday, 11/26: BITTER FAREWELL – THE GATHERING STORM – HINATA AND THE WOLF**

**Bonus!** Hi there my loyal and beloved fans. It's a very good thing I read Lord Gale's latest chapter, since by so doing I was able to catch a HUGE continuity problem as I was writing. Things are starting to heat up now, so make sure to tell all your friends and family to read my story and leave happy comments!

**GET TO KNOW YOUR BAD GUYS!**  
• Kurayami Jin: Known as the "Darkness Ninja", Kurayami is an extremely talented shadow jutsu user. He is known by the members of the Nara clan, and it is rumored that he is actually a cousin of Shikamaru, but there are no ways to confirm it. "Kurayami Jin" is not his real name, and no one knows what it really is, not even him. His signature technique is the feared Shadow Blade, a jutsu in which he extends his chakra in the form of a shadow from small wakizashi blades that he uses. The effect on the poor soul who receives such an attack? Devastation.


	20. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19: BITTER FAREWELL – THE GATHERING STORM – HINATA AND THE WOLF**

_Note: I had a really bad stomach ache when I wrote this…so if anything weird happens, blame it on that. Thank you._

You also might want to keep some tissues close by, if you are anything like me…just as a warning…

The king's village in the Country of Lightning was in a terrible state. As consequences of the immense battle taking place, many of the buildings had been ravaged by the huge releases of energy, and with each fraction of a second the structural injuries grew worse. Ground and plant, tree and rock, all were now flying pell-mell like feathers in a cyclone. Naruto Uzumaki, now in the partial resemblance of a Kyuubi, seven of nine tails released and whipping around violently, rending the ground with each strike, and Kira Maraki, his Enkyokou Tenmongan eyes shining so brightly it would have blinded bystanders, were locked in battle. Naruto's rasenshuriken, mingled with red Fox chakra, and Kira's strongest wave of emotion were now interwoven, with streams of energy shooting off in all directions. Kira suddenly swung his sword, Hoshiken, at the rasenshuriken in hopes to break through the chakra, but to his absolute horror the sword shattered.

"NO!!!" he screamed in terror, tears streaming down his cheeks. It was in this moment that his hold on the wave of emotion failed, and Naruto, pressing forward with all the strength he and the Fox could muster, broke through the barrier. Time seemed to slow to almost nothing as Kira's widened eyes stared at the approaching attack, and his breathing halted.

_So this is it, I guess…_ he thought. _I never could beat Naruto…how pitiful…_

Closer and closer the ball of chakra approached, the spinning blades of wind chakra moving at a snail's pace in this state of disbelief. Kira's mind became hazy, and his thoughts began to drift back. What if he had made a different choice on that day, the day when he had that chance to abandon all that he had come to regret? What would have happened if instead, he had chosen a different path?

_Bodies of dozens of foreign ninja lay strewn about on the barren ground, blood staining every inch of dirt, forming small streams as the rains started falling from the dark clouds above. A young, fourteen year-old Kira stood there alone, looking down at his hands, soaked with an intermingling of blood and tears. His eyes were red and sore; since before the last enemy fell, he had been weeping. This was not the life he wanted, not in any way. But here he was, with murder now upon his soul, and the sword upon the ground before his feet…  
_

"_You shouldn't weep, young Kira…" said the eerie voice of the katana Hoshiken. "Weakness is not a trait of your line."  
_

"_Matoh makes me do these things…" said Kira softly, his voice crackling from his overt sorrow. "I don't like this…I don't want to do this anymore!"  
_

"_Fenrir thought you would be strong enough," said the sword in a somewhat cruel tone. "He wouldn't have entrusted you to me had he thought otherwise."  
_

"_Fenrir doesn't know about any of this…" wept Kira. "He doesn't know about Matoh, he doesn't know about the missions, he doesn't know about me. He thinks I'm still in Konoha…"  
_

"_Then you definitely have the skill of deception that your ancestors prized so highly," said the sword. "You truly are the one spoken of in Maraki legend…your strength is greater than any other before you. Your brethren of the Maraki clan will be proud of you."  
_

"_There are no others…" said Kira. "There is no one left. I'm the last of my line, and if this keeps up, there will no longer be a Maraki clan."  
_

"_So what are you going to do?" asked the sword. "Are you going to turn back on the progress you've made?"  
_

"_You call this progress?" Behind, a bolt of lightning struck the ground a few miles away, lighting up the darkened skies. "I've become a monster…I've killed my friends, and I have nothing left to live for. Honestly, I think I would be better off to end my life here…this bitter, tortuous life…" Kira looked down at his hands, the blood now beginning to coagulate and clot upon his fingers.  
_

"_Oh dear…" said the sword. "Fenrir is coming."  
_

"_What?!" asked Kira in raised voice. Suddenly a puff of smoke appeared accompanied with the familiar pop of a summons, and as the smoke cleared Fenrir was seen, standing tall and proud. After only a moment, however, the __wolf__'s appearance changed from contentment to horror.  
_

"_Kira…" asked Fenrir. "What have you been doing? Why is everyone dead?"  
_

"_Fenrir…I haven't been truthful with you," said Kira softly and slowly, his gaze lowering to the ground. "I haven't been aligned with Konoha for over a year now."  
_

"_What?!" gasped Fenrir. "Then what have you been doing?!"  
_

"_I've been working for a man…" replied Kira. "I've been doing his will this entire time, keeping my deeds hidden from you."  
_

"_You killed these nin…?" asked Fenrir in a shocked tone. "Most of these dead are still genin…how could you do this?!"  
_

"_A lot has changed…" said Kira, now picking up Hoshiken.  
_

"_You lied to me!" shouted Fenrir. "I thought you were progressing! I thought you were overcoming the sword's evil!"  
_

_In Kira's mind two paths opened up before him: in one he took the sword to his own heart, snuffing out the sins carried upon his shoulders, relinquishing his life for a chance at redemption. If by any method he could redeem and correct the wrongs he had made while wandering as a spirit, he would. In another, he would return the sword to Fenrir, but no longer could he live the life he once had. Forever would he be an outcast, doomed to wander and suffer for the things his hands had wrought. Never could he be at peace, not after murdering the two closest to him…Naruto…Hinata…  
_

_The arguments for and against filled his mind, and for seeming ages he debated. There was no other choice; it had to be one way or the other, for there was no middle ground. He knew exactly what Fenrir inferred – he could not suppress the sword's darkness, and he knew that should he try to leave with the sword still in his possession the wolf would kill him.  
_

_**You should do what you feel is right…**__ said the voice of the sword in Kira's mind. __**But no matter what happens, you will never be able to get so far away that I won't speak to you…but you must listen for me.**__  
_

_Kira opened his eyes and looked up at Fenrir, the tears again falling down his face and staining his already rosy cheeks. The wolf looked back at him, looking as sorrowful as a wolf could. The feeling between them was mutual; Fenrir and Kira were best friends, just as Kira and Naruto had been. But now, yet another deep friendship was shattered, and Kira, feeling weak and hopeless, walked over to Fenrir and placed the sword into the sheath on his back.  
_

"_Take it, and never let me see that blade again," said Kira. "It should have never come to me in the first place, since all it has created is darkness and death."  
_

"_Will you go back?" asked the wolf. "I'm sure you have many friends in Konoha that miss you."  
_

"_There is no place for me in that life any more…" said Kira. "I will continue on my path, but without Hoshiken, I'm sure I won't survive more than a day."  
_

"_Kira…"  
_

"_It's what I want…" continued Kira, the tears now pouring down his face as he looked up into the rainy heavens. "I still want to die honorably in battle so that I might find some sort of redemption…suicide just isn't enough…"  
_

"_Don't do this…" pleaded the wolf. "Come with me, put this past behind you. Restore your clan and your honor!"  
_

"_No…" said Kira with a soft, pained voice. Fenrir gasped, but even he knew there was no use. If he knew only one thing about Kira, it was that once he made up his mind, there was no breaking him from his choice.  
_

"_I have no choice then…" said Fenrir, and he closed his eyes and began to whisper sign names under his breath. A scroll suddenly appeared at Fenrir paws, and it opened to show Kira's name written in blood upon it. Fenrir then placed his paw on the name, and slowly it began to vanish until the scroll was blank, no sign existing indicating Kira's name had ever been there. "No longer will you able to summon me, and no longer will you be able to take back this sword. Goodbye, my friend…" With a great burst of dust and smoke, Fenrir vanished, leaving Kira alone among the dead.  
_

"_It's really gone…" said Kira, a flash of peace now beginning to enter his heart, but at once it was dashed as the voice of the sword spoke into his mind.  
_

_**It is not over…you will find a way to get me back, but you are too weak…become stronger and perhaps we will fight together again…**__  
_

_Kira's eyes widened and he fell to his knees, weeping bitterly. For hours on end he wept, until the dim light of the stormy day vanished into dusk.  
_

"_This was my choice…" he said to himself after __the hours__ of sorrowful silence. "I chose to remain in this bitter life…I chose to stay and suffer for my sins…"_

_That's right…_ thought Kira as the rasenshuriken neared even closer. _If I had chosen to kill myself then, thousands would have been spared, and perhaps I would have found peace. As it is, Naruto will be the one to give me a small part of that honor I lost…let my death come quickly…_ The rasengan split the air as the wind chakra blades spun with dizzying speed, and Naruto was caught off guard as his attack broke through the barrier.

_No!_ thought Naruto as he saw the rasengan move towards Kira's body, his responses not fast enough to stop the inertial forcing driving it forward. _Not Kira! Please no!_

--

Sakura sat quietly at the base of a tree near the Domain of Dakatsu a few feet away from where Shikamaru lay. Though only a few hours had passed, they had felt like an eternity. Her hips and belly were no longer hurting as much as they been before (thanks to a near-constant application of healing jutsu), and now regular movement was possible.

"Hey Sakura…" asked Shikamaru, likewise sitting against a tree trunk. "How are we going to get back?" Sakura bit her lip.

"I never really thought of that…" she said.

"Know any good summons?" he asked. Sakura looked up into the canopy above them. "What about that slug I saw you summon the other day?"

"It might work…unless Tsunade-sama called her…" she said softly.

"Do you have enough chakra to do it?"

"I don't know…" she replied hesitantly. In her state, she knew that to summon Katsuyu would cause considerable strain on her chakra network, and while normally this wouldn't be a problem (since a smaller slug would appear), with the attacks on her spirit she may not be able to support that intense a flow of chakra through her body.

"You're worried aren't you…" said Shikamaru, likewise looking up into the leaves above. "Both of us are strained, you especially. If you try to force a summons, it might damage you beyond repair."

"Yeah…" replied Sakura. "But I can't think of anything else to do. We don't have the strength or health to get back to Konoha by foot, and it's simply too far away."

"Man, this is troublesome," sighed Shikamaru. "I don't know any summons, and you're too weak to use yours."

"I could try it…" said Sakura. "We've got to get back and help the others. If we don't, who knows what might happen."

"So…?"

"I'll do it," said Sakura. She then bit her thumb and began weaving a series of signs. "Summoning Art: Katsu-…!" Before she could finish, a huge burst of smoke appeared before them, stopping Sakura and interrupting the summons.

"What the…?" asked Shikamaru as he covered his face from the dust. Before them stood a large bird with coloring similar to Kyodaimokin's, though it stood only about eight feet tall.

"Lady Kyo sent me to assist you," said the handsome, magnificent Osprey to the two shocked and stunned ninja. "My name is Kanmokin, liege to Kyodaimokin and guardian of the Sky Kingdom. Things are far worse than we all suspected, so I suggest we get moving as soon as possible."

--

Hinata sprinted through the woods near the village as she pursued the path of Akira, Jago and Chizome. She tried as hard as she could not to think about what was happening behind her; though she knew Naruto was strong, the reunion with her old friend mixed with his unbelievable evil was too much to take on its own. But with her love thrown into the fray, it became that much worse. No matter the outcome, only sorrow would result in their battle.

It was as Hinata ran with these thoughts in her mind that she heard the whimper coming off from the trees to the right. Hinata stopped and looked off, but could see nothing at her vantage point. Again she heard the soft whine, definitely canine in nature, and she began to follow off the path in the direction. It didn't take her long to reach the small pocket of earth beneath the roots of a particularly large tree, and she gasped as she looked in and saw the same wolf that had fought with Kira.

"Fenrir?!" she asked. Fenrir looked up at her with his deep red eyes, and he gave another whimper accompanied with a wince. Hinata hopped down without hesitation and knelt down next to Fenrir where she took out a cloth from her bag and began to clean off one of his wounds without a word.

"What is your name, young kunoichi?" asked Fenrir after a moment.

"Hinata Hyuga, Fenrir-sama," she replied. "I am from the village of Konoha."

"Is that so?" he asked with an air of curiosity mingled with pain. "May I ask what is happening?"

"I'm not sure myself," replied Hinata. "But the world is in trouble. The Country of Lightning is in shambles, the Country of Brine as well. It looks to me like war is imminent."

"War…" grunted Fenrir. "So Kira went and started a war…" Fenrir closed his eyes and looked down.

"Kira isn't the one in charge," replied Hinata. "But he is stronger than I remember…I'm really worried about what might happen." Fenrir opened his eyes and looked off in the trees above.

"Why are you out here alone?"

"Naruto is dealing with Kira…" stammered Hinata sheepishly. "Naruto has the Nine-tail inside him, and…"

"He's the holder of the nine-tail?!" gasped Fenrir. "He's the Uzumaki boy that Kira spoke of?"

"Yes," replied Hinata. "But when Naruto uses the Fox-chakra, it gets… well… dangerous."

"I would imagine," said Fenrir.

"I was on my way to find Akira, but I heard you as I passed by, so…"

"Hinata-san…" said the wolf slowly. "You are one with a pure heart. You have honor and strength…but do you have an ally of the great beasts?"

"Great beasts?" asked Hinata. Fenrir nodded.

"Someone like me, or Gamabunta," he continued. "Only the greatest of ninja can summon us, as we seek out only the greatest for our companions, be they good or evil, all depending of course on the heart of the beast."

"I guess not…" said Hinata. Fenrir gave a small laugh.

"Will you do something for me?" he asked. Hinata nodded, and with a small puff of smoke a scroll appeared on the ground near Hinata. "Could you write your name in this scroll?"

--

Naruto tried to pull back, but he was too late. The motion could not be reversed, and the rasenshuriken struck Kira's chest. Kira's face did not change; rather, it seemed he welcomed the attack. The fierce blades of wind chakra slashed at his arms and face, one of them passing across his left eye. As it did, the Enkyokou Tenmongan in that eye seemed to shatter just as had Hoshiken, leaving in its place a bloody, normal eye. Almost immediately Kira's body was sent flying from the force of the rasenshuriken, the clothing of his torso ripped apart, and with a crash he landed hard upon the ground, rolling twice then coming to a stop.

Naruto breathed hard, and the tails began to vanish as he stared with horror at the body of his dear friend. Naruto's skin was charred and leathery from the overuse of the Kyuubi chakra, but the excruciating didn't seem to faze him as he stared, tears welling up in his eyes.

"K-Kira?" he asked, his voice cracking from fear. "Kira-san?" Kira's body did not move, and the tears began to stream down Naruto's burnt skin. His feet felt like lead as he struggled to walk over to Kira's body, but somehow he made it across the seemingly endless void between them. Naruto's heart skipped beats with each step, the fear of finding out the inevitable so thick it was choking him.

Naruto stood still, his eyes widened and full of flowing tears as he finally reached Kira and looked down at him. Kira's face was stuck in shocked expression, his right eye open wide, the Enkyokou Tenmongan now gone, and the left eye darkened with blood. A small trickle of blood proceeded out of his mouth and dripped upon the dusty ground, creating small clumps of filthy mixture at his chin.

"K-Kira-s-san?" asked Naruto, his voice completely stolen away except for a very light whisper. Just as before, Kira did not move nor make any reply, and Naruto could not hold in his emotion any longer.

"Kira-san!" he screamed out in agony, and Naruto fell to his knees, losing all control and erupting into bitter weeping. Naruto then closed his eyes and leaned forward to cry upon Kira's lifeless body, his thoughts falling back to when his friend was still a good person.

_You were such a great ninja, and you were one of my best friends…_ thought Naruto. _Why did you have to do this?! Damn it Kira, why?! WHY?!_

Naruto suddenly felt his forehead protector smack into the hard ground beneath him, and he paused for a moment before opening his eyes. Something was wrong; he was sure that Kira had been just a few inches from him. Naruto then opened his eyes and got back to his knees looking around in complete confusion – Kira was nowhere to be seen.

"Kira?" he asked in whisper, but at this point the damage to his body overcame him, and he fell spread eagle onto his back and slipped into unconsciousness.

**New for Wednesday, December 3: THE HOKAGE'S STRUGGLE – TEAM KAKASHI'S DISCOVERY**

BONUS! Yes, that date is correct. I'm going to be out of town over Thanksgiving, so I won't be able to publish a chapter on Saturday…but never fear! I will be taking my laptop with me, and I will try to finish a chapter this weekend and publish during the week as a fancy hour-long special or something…but no promises (it all depends on how much fun my vacation is ) Remember that Kanko loves you all! Have a great Thanksgiving!

**BONUS 2!** Now, I know that some of you may have a problem with Hinata and the Wolf. I have already been asked about that, and this is my reply:

_Remember that Naruto had his name in the scroll before he could summon the frogs. Also keep in mind that Hinata has undergone a transformation in this story, one that has greatly increased her abilities. She may indeed now have enough power to summon; but more than that is the fact that the wolf himself requested it. That makes it somewhat different than what Naruto went through, and could be the buffer that allows Hinata to do what normally she wouldn't be able to. I hope that clarifies it for you._


	21. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20: THE HOKAGE'S STRUGGLE – TEAM KAKASHI'S DISCOVERY**

_I'm feeling really tired while writing this...it is then likely that errors will be found. If you do find errors, then be very, very quiet so that the others don't find out about them. Okay? Shhhhh.... O.O_

Tsunade breathed lightly as she held as still as she could while Mizukage's knife rested upon the tender skin of her neck. The steel was colder than normal; this aspect alone intrigued Tsunade. She looked down at the floor – a small puddle was extending from behind her into her field of vision at a snail's pace.

"So you used shuunjinsoku to get here, huh?" asked Tsunade calmly (rapid water tunnel). "Smooth…no wonder you got all the way here undetected."

"I don't need jutsu to infiltrate your village," replied Mizukage from directly behind her chair. "I needed to outrun your assassins."

"Assassins?!" asked Tsunade. "I didn't send any assassins!" Mizukage then walked out from behind her chair, still holding the knife against her neck as he moved. He no longer wore his blue hat and cream-colored robe, instead donning a regular flak jacket and dark sunglasses. His hair was short and silvery-gray, his face heavily scarred from his years of service and battle. All things considered, Mizukage was a handsome man, but Tsunade knew too well that looks, especially in this case were deceiving. Though allies, there was little good blood between the Countries of Water and Fire.

"They wore Konoha headbands," said Mizukage. "They even said they were returning to the village. Don't lie to me, Hokage-sama."

"I swear to you, I am telling the truth Yuriko," said Tsunade, looking up into the Mizukage's eyes. Yuriko grinned as he looked back into hers, deep, brown and lovely.

"How can I believe you?" he asked.

"I did send ninja to your village a few days ago," continued Tsunade. "Might Guy and his team left to offer their services if needed to your village."

"So you did send ninja," said Yuriko. "The one who used Shadows was particularly talented. He killed many of my finest Jonin."

"Shadows?" asked Tsunade, her tone now becoming fearful. "Shikamaru was sent off with the Kankokage!" Yuriko didn't immediately respond, rather he stood silently looking into Tsunade's eyes.

"His name wasn't Shikamaru," he said slowly after a few moments. "If I remember right, it was Kurayami…"

"The ones I sent were two annoying men dressed in green, a Hyuga, and a weapons mistress," continued Tsunade. "Did they make it safely to the Village of Mist?"

"I saw none of this manner, only the three who attacked me," answered Yuriko. "They were powerful ninja, more powerful than even I."

"Please, Yuriko," pleaded Tsunade. "Put away the knife. I promise you with all the honor of my village that I did not approve nor know anything about this attack." Yuriko again stood silent, but after a moment he retracted the knife from Tsunade's neck.

"You know nothing of the three?" he asked softly, mistrust still leaking into his voice.

"Nothing at all," said Tsunade, immediately standing up. "What were their names?"

"Kurayami Jin, Ona Doro, Itami Noborou," replied Yuriko, still staring warily at Tsunade as she walked across her office and pulled out a large book from her bookshelves.

"Those are strange names…" she muttered. "Not held by any criminals I know of, but…" She walked back to her desk and opened the book up, releasing a plume of dust collected along the tops of each page.

"If you are being untruthful…" warned Yuriko. "You will die here without honor." Tsunade flashed Yuriko a particularly cold look.

"It is possible these three are associated with the Twelve Cloaked Daggers," she said sharply. "They have already wiped out the Country of Lightning, and it seems like they tried to destroy your country as well." Yuriko looked at Tsunade in complete shock.

"W-what did you say?!" he gasped.

"Just before you arrived I received a letter from the Country of Lightning," continued Tsunade. "With a small army headed by this group, Raikage was killed, and if what you said about them "returning to Konoha" is true, then…" Tsunade looked down at the page.

"Then what?" asked Yuriko.

"Then it sounds like they know that Konoha is trying to stop them with the Kankokage," she replied. "Their next target is Konoha itself." Yuriko looked down at Tsunade with his mouth slightly open; this was much more than he had expected. No longer was it just a random attack on his life, rather it looked like a world war.

"Itami Noborou…" muttered Tsunade as she came across a particular page. Upon it was attached a picture of a handsome, smug, yet horribly evil looking young man with deep blue eyes and long brown hair.

"That was him…" said Yuriko, looking down at the page. "He attacked me with some sort of bond…"

"He is originally from the Land of the Void," read Tsunade. "But he was exiled due to several murders of high ranking officials…"

"Exiled?" asked Yuriko. "Why didn't they just execute him?!"

"They couldn't…" said Tsunade softly, still reading the page. "It appears that he left on his own accord after rendering his entire village powerless…"

"When we fought, it was like I could feel what he felt…" said Yuriko. "His technique is frightening. It's a wonder he didn't show up in Akatsuki."

"Indeed," muttered Tsunade, flipping the page. "It seems that he has only been seen once since his exile, that being in the Country of Demon during the Third Hokage's administration."

"The woman with them," said Yuriko suddenly. "She had a jutsu I had never seen before."

"Oh?" asked Tsunade, looking up from the book into Yuriko's eyes.

"She had red eyes…" he continued slowly, pausing in reflection. "Bright red…it was like she was looking through me…"

"Red eyes you say?" asked Tsunade with a raised eyebrow.

--

Pakkun the little brown ninja dog looked onward through the trees while sitting on a limb with his typical bored façade as he sniffed the air. Behind him, Kakashi and his team comprised of Konohamaru, Ino, and Chouji finally caught up, all of them breathing heavily from the accelerated pursuit of the little yet speedy dog.

"You're slow," said Pakkun beneath his Konoha forehead protector. "I've been here three minutes already."

"What did you smell?" asked Kakashi.

"I'm not sure," replied Pakkun. "Something doesn't smell right…but I can't put my paw on it."

"What is it?" asked the blonde-haired Ino from behind Kakashi.

"It smells…" started Pakkun, giving a few more sniffs with his nose. "Kakashi, summon the other dogs, please."

"Sure…" replied Kakashi, and he pulled out the small scroll from his pack. He then bit his thumb, opened the scroll, and concocted the signs for summoning. With a poof of smoke, the other seven ninja dogs appeared, all looking fairly excited to be there (except for the large bull dog, of course).

"Hey Pakkun!" said the cool-looking dog with sunglasses. "What's up, man?"

"I need your opinions," replied Pakkun. "I can't figure out what I'm smelling." At once the eight dogs lifted their noses and began to sniff. For about thirty seconds this continued until the light brown dog with a taped head spoke up.

"It is blood…" said the dog. "But it isn't…normal…"

"What do you mean?" asked Pakkun.

"It's too strong…" continued the dog. "By distance, it's a ways off, but I can smell enough for twenty humans…and it doesn't smell like it's clotting at all."

"What?!" gasped Kakashi. "That's not possible! Blood begins to clot the second it leaves the body!"

"Of course it does," replied the dog. "But I'm telling you – I'm an expert on the scent of blood, and this stuff…it ain't clogging."

"That means…" started Ino. "That means it's being controlled by chakra! There's no other way for it to be kept from clotting."

"And if it's controlled by chakra," added Chouji. "Then that means a ninja is controlling it."

"A powerful ninja, at that," said Kakashi.

"There are other smells behind the mask of blood," added the frisky, snarling white dog. "Twelve of them. Each one smells different."

"Twelve different humans…" muttered the large bull dog. "One woman, fifteen male…and…birds?"

"Yes," confirmed the barker brown dog with wild eyes. "Definitely birds, crows they smell like…"

"No," countered the brown dog with a white snout. "Those are Ravens…I think from the Blight."

"What direction are they headed?" asked Kakashi. The dogs again lifted their heads and sniffed, but this time each of them opened their eyes in shock.

"They're moving towards Konoha!" gasped Pakkun. "And from the smell of it, they are moving fast."

"And they are closer to the village than we are…" added the small, light brown dog with tired-looking eyes. "We'd better get moving if you want to catch them."

"Damn it…" grumbled Kakashi. "Ninja dogs! Go find Shizune's team and tell her to head back to the village immediately. Pakkun, stay with us."

"Yeah, yeah," mumbled Pakkun. "You guys had better go. There may be some trouble if we don't hurry."

"Sure thing, boss," said the cool-looking dog with sunglasses, and the seven leaped off into the trees and out of sight.

"What's going on, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Konohamaru.

"We made a mistake," he replied. "It seems the enemy will reach Konoha before we do…we are very lucky to have smelled them before we further out. Let's go!" Kakashi leaped back through the trees in the path they came, and Konohamaru, Ino, Chouji, and Pakkun followed suit.

--

Dakatsu opened his eyes. His chest and body ached, and as his eyes focused and his mind gained lucidity he noticed that he was sitting in the middle of a road surrounded by tall, green trees.

"W-what happened…?" he asked drowsily to himself, and slowly he sat up and got to his feet. "What a strange dream…" Dakatsu turned and observed his surroundings; he had no recollection of this place, no any remembrance of his journey here.

"This is strange…" he began, but then he noticed the sign at the side of the road. "Konoha, 5 kilometers…" he read. "I'm already this close?" Dakatsu look quickly from side to side for any sign of human presence, but was unable to see anything. For a moment a temptation arose in his mind, one which were it not for the dire words of Tetsuma he would have considered.

_Flee, Dakatsu, flee,_ said his mind's voice. _No one knows you are here, Tetsuma can't see everywhere, and now is your chance. Flee, and you will be free from this terrible calling._

"No, not Tetsuma…" muttered Dakatsu fearfully under his breath. "His Ikemasen… he can see everything. Besides, I don't even know how or when I got here…he might be behind all of this."

_You don't know that. Besides, what can you do to take out a powerful clan like the Hyuga? You really think you can defeat them?_

"Shut up…" shouted Dakatsu loudly. Realizing his volume, he again looked back and forth with widened eyes. "Am I losing my mind?"

_You lost your mind when you decided to kill Araiguma…_

"You don't scare me…ARRGH!" Dakatsu clenched his chest in agony, his teeth clenched and his eyes closed tightly. His entire upper body seared in pain, but after a few moments it again subsided to a mere dull ache. "What is wrong with me? I…I think Tetsuma knows…I think Tetsuma is punishing me for thinking of running away…" Dakatsu's voice was now a frightened stutter, as fear was now rapt throughout his mind. Bit by bit logic began to fade, each vanished piece of sanity replaced by an equal portion of terror.

_You have become a pawn, Dakatsu. This is your comeuppance; you will pay for your murders and sins…for the murder and destruction of your own people and country._

"Get out of my head!" shrieked Dakatsu, clawing at his temples. "Get out! Get out! Get out!!!" Suddenly he stopped and listened – the voice within his mind was gone. "Now, I need to get moving…" Dakatsu then began walking down the road, an unusual spring in his step and an eerie smile upon his face. Konoha was his destination, a mere five kilometers away. How could he be so lucky?

--

Naruto awoke to the feeling of wind rushing past his face and a soft feeling on his back and legs. _I've been here before…_ he thought, and before he even regained total consciousness he knew where he was.

"So…" he muttered, his eyes still closed and his body still in pain. "You beat up both of those guys, huh Akira?"

"Naruto? You're awake?" asked a man's voice that Naruto did not recognize. "You've been out for a while now. I must say you have quite impressive healing abilities."

_Something isn't right…who is that?_

Naruto opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the voice. Surely enough, he was again riding on the back of Kyodaimokin, but the face that matched the voice – surely this had to be a nightmare.

"Y-you!" shouted Naruto as he leaped to his feet and pointed at the silver-haired Jago. "What are you doing here?! Where's Akira?!!"

"Naruto, calm down," said the voice of Akira. Naruto turned and saw Akira deftly stepping down from Kyodaimokin's neck towards him. "You don't have to worry – he's with us now."

"But…but…!" stammered Naruto. "He's with Kira!" Naruto suddenly stopped, his mind finally catching up to him. _Kira…_ he thought, and with that Naruto fell back down, his eyes staring off blankly.

"Kira was a powerful ninja," said Jago retrospectively. "But he was too unstable. Something was wrong inside his head…I had been worried for a while that he would completely lose it. But now, Naruto, we don't have to worry about him anymore."

"What are you talking about?" asked Naruto, still stuck in his dumbfounded state. "He isn't dead…he can't be. I hit him with the rasenshuriken…and then he landed…I was sure he was dead…"

"What are you saying?" asked Jago.

"He just disappeared…" continued Naruto, a tear again beginning to well up in his eye. "He was there…and then he just vanished…"

"I think maybe you were injured more than we thought…" said Akira. "People just don't vanish when they die, Naruto, and they certainly can't when they are alive."

"I…I…" stammered Naruto. "I don't know what happened…" Naruto stopped. "Where are we going?"

"Konoha," answered Akira. "Tetsuma and the others are on their way there, and if what Jago told me is true, then it is looks like they mean to destroy it."

"But, why would they…" started Naruto, but Jago interrupted him.

"Konoha interfered with Tetsuma's plans," he said. "He was nearly defeated by that Hinata girl, and he decided to change our movements."

"What is Tetsuma's plan?" asked Naruto, but Jago shook his head in dismay.

"Even I don't know that," he answered. "Just when I think I have it figured out, something happens and proves me wrong. I thought it was just a grab of power, you know. Steal money, buy gangs and thugs, live the high life…at least that's what I wanted. Tetsuma's plans…I don't know, he's about as mentally sound as Kira, and that guy was hell bent on destroying the world. But from what I can tell now, it seems like he is trying to knock out all forms of leadership in the five great countries."

"But why would he want to do that?" asked Naruto. "If he wants to do destroy the countries, why not just wipe everything out like the Lightning Country?"

"It seems like the campaign in the Country of Lightning was to serve as a warning to the others," continued Jago. "He wanted to take out the strongest first, so that the other weaker countries would fall in line."

"So this is nothing more than a move to militarily take over the world?" asked Akira.

"You say it so nonchalantly," replied Jago. "Don't take this man for a fool; if there was anyone who could achieve such a lofty and seemingly impossible goal, it is Tetsuma. Even with Kira, Lina, and Daisuke gone, he can still conquer entire countries with only a few men. Mix into that the fact that he now has Ring ninja from the Brine on his side and he's made himself as powerful as a hundred-thousand-man army, if not greater."

"This is bad…" said Naruto softly. "I can't believe how fast all of this has happened…"

"Sometimes it seems like the world catches on fire overnight," observed Akira. "We ask ourselves, 'how could this happen?' but always the answer is the same."

"And what is that?" asked Naruto, the gravity of the situation now weighing him down like lead blocks hung from his shoulders.

"We lose sight of what is important," replied Akira. "We end up focusing so hard on peace and quiet of our immediate surroundings that we neglect to even listen to the softly approaching drums, and by the time we finally do notice, they are already upon us. I am guilty of this myself; I was so caught up in the joy of finally completing the Three Mountains Village that I didn't even bother investigating the mysterious death of Araiguma Tetsuwan. Instead, I left that to the regular civilian authorities, and before I knew it my village was gone, my family was destroyed, and my friends were turned into foes. Literally, all that happened within a couple hours time."

"Yeah…" said Naruto softly. "I can see what you mean."

"But the problem with life is that we can't ever turn back time and fix our mistakes," continued Akira. "Instead, we have to take what's given us and make the best of it, whatever that may imply."

"I am one to believe that nothing happens without reason," added Jago. "All things have their purpose in this world, this life...One may never know the effect that any of his actions may have on the future, but the best way to live is to act in such a way that you can be sure that your choices will lead to the best outcomes."

"A fair axiom…" said Kyodaimokin, somewhat startling Naruto as she hadn't said a word since his awakening. "But not one expected from a redeemed villain."

"When one delves into the darkness," responded Jago. "One can't help but notice the nuances of the light."

"Wait a minute…" said Naruto, looking around Kyo's back. "Something's wrong…"

"What is it?" asked Akira.

"Where's Hinata?"

**New for Saturday, 12/6/2008: ZERO HOUR: KONOHA'S TRIALS BEGIN**

**BONUS!** Yeah, no action this time. Sorry. But honestly, these things are tough to keep going at 110 mph all the time. But without plot, what good is the story? Trivia about my life: looks like over the next couple months I will have two research papers published in major Chemical Engineering publications, in addition to a thesis on Waxy Oil Gel phenomena. How cool is that?!


	22. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21: ZERO HOUR: KONOHA'S TRIALS BEGIN**

_This chapter is going to be a little shorter than the others. You can blame it on a rather unpleasant stomach condition. I also apologize for being a little late on the submission. Cheers!_

The main gate of Konoha was rather busy as Dakatsu approached. Various ninja, travelers, and merchants with large packs full of goods walked in and out of the village entrance, each appearing to be lazily observed by the two well-dressed ninja in a small booth just inside the gate. Dakatsu, approached the gate warily, but did his best to not seem suspicious.

"Hey you!" called out one of the gatekeepers, beckoning to Dakatsu to come over to their booth as he attempted to move past them. Dakatsu's heart began to race, and he gulped as he stepped over to the booth.

"Good day to you, sir," said the other guard. "Haven't seen you around before, so we'd like some documentation just so we know who you are and where you're from."

"Uh…yeah, sure…" stammered Dakatsu as he began fumbling around a small pack around his waist. _I don't have an alibi…I'm doomed!_ To Dakatsu's surprise, however, his hand found a small piece of folded parchment. Upon pulling it out and unfolding it, it seemed as though a prayer was answered.

"My name is… Kibiki Hatsumaki…" read Dakatsu from the parchment. "I'm a merchant from the… Country of Field here to…request a mission from the Hokage…" _What a strange alibi…they'll never buy it…_

"Well…" began the first guard. Dakatsu could feel it coming – the rejection, the arrest, the imprisonment…then Tetsuma's revenge. This was all a mistake; he should have never come this far. He should have just stayed in the Domain and perished…

"Thank you," said the guard with a pleasant smile. "The Hokage's office is a ways down this road here. It is a huge red building with the "Fire" symbol written upon it. You can't miss it. Have a good day!" The guards then motioned for Dakatsu to continue on his way into the village, at which point Dakatsu felt as though a huge load slipped off his shoulders.

_That was too easy…_ thought Dakatsu, and he began walking down the road towards the heart of the village. The promenade was one of pure internal terror; every face in every window, every eye behind a counter, every child and parent – all were staring at him. All had to know his intent; surely he was wearing his wicked mission upon his sleeves, and it would be a matter of time until someone caught him. His passage through the gates must have been a fluke, and as these thoughts absorbed his mind beads of sweat gathered upon his forehead and temples.

_This isn't going to work…._ he thought to himself, his emotions beginning to build up inside, stifling all else in his head. _I'm a dead man…_

--

Meanwhile, on the northwest corner of the village, the air was still and quiet as twelve figures stood upon the trough of the tall village walls. On either side lay slain Konoha guards, blood pooling beneath their dead bodies and leaving the scene as one rather foreboding. Despite this unpleasant setting, the looks upon the twelve were all of pleasant contentment, particularly the man with blank, grey eyes.

"Konoha…" said Tetsuma Hyuga slowly. "It has been years since I have seen this place."

"Bring back good memories?" asked the lovely Karasu.

"Not really…" answered Tetsuma. "I didn't leave this village on particularly good terms. But after today, all will be corrected, and my clan will be restored to its proper state."

"At least you have a clan," muttered the handsome and wild-looking Shirokuma. "Those damn Inuzukas wiped mine out. I hate this village and everyone in it…filthy basta-…"

"Now now, Shiro," interrupted the white-haired Raiko. "We mustn't curse the soon-to-be dead. That would surely bring us death." Suddenly another person joined them on the top of the wall, this man having flaming red hair.

"Chizome, that was quick…" observed Tetsuma. "Where are Kira and Jago?"

"They insisted on staying behind to take care of the Kankokage and his friends," replied Chizome. "One of Karasu's crows noticed me tailing you and helped speed my way here."

"I'm glad you could make it," said Karasu. "Now you get to see the big show."

"We should be okay with those two handling them," continued Tetsuma. "Kira will have turned their carcasses to dust by now."

"Master Tetsuma…" said one of the Brine ninja named Tonbo. "When do we begin the operation?"

"You will know when it happens," answered Tetsuma, gazing unblinking at the village beyond them as though looking for some grand landmark. "Now you all remember exactly what we are to do, correct?"

"Yeah…" said Shirokuma. "I just hope I get some good ninja to fight. Since fighting the Kankokage, nothing seems worth it anymore."

"Don't worry, Shiro," said Karasu. "This ninja is legend for its power. Tsunade herself runs it. Maybe you'll get to meet her."

"Meh, I don't care about her," replied Shirokuma. "I want to take on the entire Inuzuka clan if I can – if Tsume is still around, she will be the first to go."

"I am looking forward to seeing the legendary Kakashi," added Raiko. "If I defeat him, my name will not just be great – I'll be nigh unto a god among men!"

"There will be plenty for all of us," said Tetsuma. "But whatever you do, leave any Hyuga to me."

"Yeah," said Raiko. "We know."

"Now we just wait…" continued Tetsuma as a slight breeze wafted across their faces, flowing through their assorted colors of hair. "This will truly be a great day for our organization."

"I wish Lina and Daisuke could have been here," said Karasu softly. "They would have been so proud to have come this far from such humble beginnings."

"I'm sure they are looking down upon us from wherever they are," replied Tetsuma. "Their dream was the same as ours, and with their spirits willing, we will be successful."

"Do Itami and his team know the plan?" asked Shirokuma.

"A crow was sent detailing the plan," answered Karasu. "They will know."

"Good," continued Shirokuma. "That makes this job a little easier."

"Itami's team attacks are the pride of our group," said Tetsuma with an air of pride. "It is remarkable to find three ninja from different corners of the earth that work so wonderfully together-…" Tetsuma suddenly stopped, and without a word his Ikemasen Byakugan activated as he peered deeply into the village.

"Tetsuma?" asked Karasu with a slightly worried tone. "What's wrong dear?"

"Dakatsu…" said Tetsuma softly, his voice full of disappointment. "You failed me."

--

The trees flew past Hinata at incredible speed as she rode atop of Fenrir the Great Wolf through the forests between the Fire and Lightning Countries. Still, in her mind, this whole experience had felt like a dream. Did she really meet Kira? Did Naruto really release the Nine-Tail spirit? Did the wolf really have her write her name in blood in his scroll?

"Hinata-chan," said the wolf as he coursed deftly and flawlessly through the dense trees. "What are you thinking?"

"This all feels so strange…" she replied. "So much has happened to me over the last few days…it just seems so unreal."

"As it is with times like these," replied Fenrir. "Kira said the same thing when I first met him…"

"What happened between you two?" asked Hinata.

"I was the guardian of the Enkyokou Tenmongan that Kira's clan possessed," answered Fenrir. "As well as the keeper of their rightful weapon, the Hoshiken. When I first came to Kira, I was under the impression that he was doing only good in the world, but he had lied to me. Instead he was fulfilling the will of a wicked man who used his power for nothing but evil, and the result of those choices he made are what led us apart and ultimately sealed his fate. He is no longer anything but a shell of what he used to be. His good heart and soul have been corrupted by the dark will of Hoshiken, not to mention his own selfishness, to the point where every fiber of his being resonates in the darkness. He cannot be saved."

"You don't know that…" said Hinata rather sheepishly. "Naruto-kun has power to change people, even those whose hearts seemed to be nothing but pure evil. Gaara-of the Sand was like this."

"The Nine-Tailed Fox boy broke Shukaku's grasp on that Sand boy's soul?" asked Fenrir with a shocked tone. "That is surprising… to think that the Kyuubi would find good in his heart again…"

"You can't give up on Kira, even if he is killed…" continued Hinata. "Somehow, Naruto will find a way to bring him back. He never gives up; it's his nindo, his ninja way."

"Then maybe I am wrong about him," conceded Fenrir. "But I won't hold my breath. That boy…he is dangerous." For several minutes the two remained silent after Fenrir's response.

"Fenrir-sama…" asked Hinata after these few moments. "Why did you want me to put my name in that scroll?"

"The clan I serve is broken and destroyed…" said Fenrir softly. "No longer am I bound to serve them, and as such I am free to choose whomever I will to aide and fight alongside."

"So…why me?"

"As I told you, you have a pure, strong heart. For centuries I have had to take on as companions many wicked and selfish individuals, and as you might expect, this has had significant effect upon me. I don't want to walk alongside wicked ones any longer; you, Hinata Hyuga, are in no way evil, and that alone is cause enough for me."

"You are going to be my companion?" asked Hinata. "But…I don't know…how…" Fenrir gave a friendly chuckle as Hinata stammered through her words.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan," he said pleasantly. "I am a little more active in my support than most other Great Beasts. I will help you learn and grow, and soon you will be regarded among the very great kunoichi of the world, right up there with the Legendary Tsunade." Hinata's heart leapt as she heard these words, but it was from a mixture of emotions.

"M-me?" she stammered. "Great like the Hokage?"

"Yes," said Fenrir. "But honestly, you don't need me to attain that level." Hinata blushed at these words and turned her head.

"Thank you, Fenrir-sama."

--

Dakatsu inched his way further and further into the village, and after asking for directions from several kind merchants, he found himself being increasingly surrounded by men and women with eyes similar to Tetsuma's.

"I must be getting close…" muttered Dakatsu to himself, his widened and bloodshot eyes darting back and forth at the passersby.

_Dakatsu…_ began the voice in mind from before. _You are being a fool. Run away from here, that your hands might be no more stained with blood of the innocent._

"I can't do that now…" he said under his breath. "It's too late…I can't run away from this fate…"

_There is still a way…_ continued the voice. _You can end your life here…and force yourself out of this fate._

"What?!" gasped Dakatsu. "I…I can't do that…"

_Why not? You don't have any honor whatsoever in your soul. Suicide wouldn't tarnish you in any way; in fact, it may serve for your betterment in the afterlife._

"I…I…" stammered Dakatsu, his hand reaching into his bag. "This is crazy…"

_You don't have any other choice, anyway. Tetsuma was just going to kill you off in the end anyway. Retain some measure of honor – end your life and thwart his plans._

"You're right…" said Dakatsu slowly, now pulling a knife with a modest blade out of his pack. "If I'm dead, then Tetsuma's plans will be destroyed. After all, he wanted me to kill the Hyuga clan's leaders…but if I'm dead, that can't happen." He then looked down at the blade, still standing in the middle of the busy road.

_For honor…_

"For honor…" said Dakatsu, and he raised the blade up and closed his eyes as a thrust it into his heart. Blood spurt out of his mouth and began leaking out of the wound into his clothing as he held the knife in his chest, and he cried out in deathly agony for a second. All around people began gasping and shouting, and Dakatsu fell to his knees, blood now pouring out of his mortal wound. However, despite all this horror, Dakatsu was no longer interested in the pain of death that was overcoming his body.

"Hey, mister!? What are you doing?!" shouted a bystander.

"Oh no!" cried out a nearby woman. But Dakatsu heard none of this; instead a fizzling, crinkling sound emanating from his chest caught his complete attention. Suddenly a searing burning erupted across his body as though a fire were raging inside, and instantly he knew that his death – and the death of all those around him – was at hand. Here Dakatsu's heart finally changed, and he screamed out at the top of his lungs.

"GET OUT! RUN AWAY! GET AWAY!" he screamed, and the people around him began running away in all directions. The sensational firestorm grew more intense, but by the time Dakatsu felt the final peak of agony he noticed his final thought.

_Looks like they all escaped…_ he thought, a smile appearing on his face. _For honor…_

From his chest a bright flash burst forth, and with a cataclysmic explosion and burst of fire and obliterated material Dakatsu's body vaporized as the thousands of exploding tags inside his chest went off simultaneously.

**SPECIAL RELEASE DATE DUE TO FINALS! New for Monday, 12/22/2008: THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS MAKE THEIR MOVE**

**BONUS!** I sure hope my stomach stops freaking out… As a reminder, Kanko is enthusiastic about fan art. If any of you have artistic talent, I would love to see posted drawings and manga-style artwork related to the story (for Naruto Wire users only, unfortunately).


	23. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22: THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS MAKE THEIR MOVE**

Kyodaimokin and her riders soared over a mountain range littered with patches of pine and bare stone, and Akira looked down contently from the great Osprey's neck.

"We're almost to Konoha," he said as he gazed upon the foliage and terrain below. "Naruto, I am sorry that my actions have brought this curse upon your city. I really am." Akira turned where he expected to see Naruto looking back at him, but instead only found Naruto lying on his back, looking up into the sky.

_What happened back there?_ thought Naruto, oblivious to Akira's words. _Every other time I used Rasenshuriken there was a huge explosion. Why not then? I even had seven tails released…_

"I've never been to the fire country before…" mused Jago as he looked off across the vast landscape below. "I hear Konoha has a Ramen shop that is known across the world." Upon hearing these words, Naruto's demeanor changed instantly as he leaped to his feet and hopped with unusual speed over to Jago's side.

"Ichiraku's!" chimed Naruto gleefully. "My favorite is pork with miso soup! What's yours?!" Jago leaned back a little as Naruto pushed his way right up into his face.

"Uh, no preference," stammered Jago. "I like them all."

"Naruto," said Akira with a rather stern voice. "You still need to rest. Don't overexert yourself."

"But this is ramen!" shouted Naruto angrily. "Ramen is more important than my health!"

"Akira…" said Jago, distracted from the conversation as he looked off into the distance. "Is that smoke?"

"Konoha!" gasped Naruto, looking out across the terrain. Surely enough, a column of smoke was rising from beyond the horizon where Konoha sat.

--

"What the…!?" gasped Raiko form the northwest wall of Konoha as an enormous plume of fire and smoke erupted from inside the city. After a few moments in silence, the sound and tremors of the blast reached them, the intensity of the blast still enough to hurt their ears and shake their footing.

"Tetsuma?!" asked Karasu, looking towards her lover with angst in her eyes. Tetsuma on the other hand stood still and somber, shaking his head ever so slightly before opening his mouth to speak.

"Dakatsu…you were a worthless piece of human existence," he muttered angrily. "May you rot in Hell. Let's go!" Tetsuma waved his arm, and with a blur the twelve ninja leaped from the wall into the trees below.

The huge column of smoke rose higher and higher, blocking sunlight to half the village after only a few minutes. All around ground zero villagers ran and screamed, carrying children and belongings, fleeing in all directions. For many, the nightmare was starting all over again, the devastation wrought by Pain now fresh in their memories. The village had nearly been destroyed at that time, and fear welled up across the entire area that perhaps the reconstruction, so recently completed, would have come for naught.

At ground zero, the blast crater spanned beyond the width of the street, the buildings roundabout having been shattered from the force of the explosion. Completely missing from the destruction was Dakatsu's body; no longer could even a shred of him be found as the heat and force crushed his body in powder and turned him into vapor. However, despite the physical damage, Dakatsu's efforts had spared the lives off all in the area – there had been no casualties.

--

A dozen blocks away from the explosion, Hiashi, head of the Hyuga clan and father to Hinata looked onward fearfully with his daughter, Hanabi outside their home.

"Father?" asked Hanabi as she looked onward with fear in her eyes. "What's happening?" Hiashi's Byakugan activated, and he peered intensely around the garden and beyond.

"I don't know," replied Hiashi slowly. "But you should run inside and grab your ninja tools." Hanabi didn't waste any time in heeded her father's command and she ran into the house as Hiashi continued scouring the surroundings with his Byakugan eyes.

_This is strange chakra…_ thought Hiashi, observing two approaching figures several blocks away. _A Hyuga? He looks like Hizashi…oh no…_ (Note: Hizashi is Neji's late father)

Behind, Hanabi appeared again, her Forehead protector hanging from her neck and her pack of ninja tools attached to her belt.

"Hanabi, hide!" commanded Hiashi, now set in the Hyuga battle position. "Now!"

"What's w-wrong…?" stammered Hanabi, but before she could turn to run back in the house two individuals, a man and a woman, leaped over the garden fence.

"You…" growled Hiashi at the man. "You traitor…"

"Me? Traitor?" asked Tetsuma Hyuga with false shock. Beside him the lovely Karasu began to giggle. "What a terrible thing to say! You, Hiashi, with your lust for peace…you are the traitor."

"F-father…?" asked Hanabi instinctively in a whisper. Tetsuma's gaze then turned from the father to the daughter, where his eyes lightened.

"Hanabi?" he asked. "You've grown up, haven't you!"

"Tetsuma, you will stay away from her!" shouted Hiashi. Tetsuma looked back at him with annoyed eyes.

"With the rising generation I can restore the glory of the Hyuga clan," said Tetsuma bluntly. "You and the Third….you've ruined this once great clan. You let the Uchiha dominate, and even when Itachi wiped them out you still held back."

"You are doing this to get back at me" asked Hiashi.

"Silly uncle…" laughed Tetsuma. "The destruction of the current Hyuga leadership is only a small part of what I want. But for your ears, that plan will never be known. Hanabi, witness the death of your father, and prepare to join with me and Karasu as we restore the clan to its proper state. Ikemasen Byakugan!"

Tetsuma's eyes immediately changed from pale grey to their Ikemasen state, the regular Byakugan lines across the irises joined by five points of light, one in the very center and the other four at the cardinal points of the irises. Hiashi looked onward with horror as Tetsuma's doujutsu activated.

"Y-You…" stammered Hiashi. "How did…how did you break the seal placed by our ancestors?"

"When one isn't tied down to the failures of the clan, one can explore more forbidden and necessary routes," said Tetsuma with a snide grin, then turning towards Karasu and gazing upon her unwholesomely. "Lustful pleasures release the mind's preset boundaries, lascivious releases…I have freed my mind from the curse our ancestors gave us…"

"Those eyes are more damning than the Mangekyou Sharingan possessed by Itachi," observed Hiashi. "You should never have released it – only death awaits you now."

"Then death awaits your daughter as well," said Tetsuma shortly. Hiashi gasped and turned back towards Hanabi, who still looked fearfully upon Tetsuma and Karasu.

"Hanabi…?!" gasped Hiashi again.

"No, foolish uncle…" said Tetsuma derisively while touching his forehead in mock frustration. "Hinata has broken the seal as well, but honestly I don't know how."

"You've brought this curse upon Hinata?" asked Hiashi angrily.

"Curse?!" laughed Tetsuma. "Hardly! Our ancestors forbade this technique because they feared the power it gave the user. They did it out of fear, not for any danger it poses. The Ikemasen is in no way a curse, foolish uncle. It is a blessing…" Tetsuma's suddenly widened with intensity as he stared into Hiashi's eyes.

"W-what are…you…" trailed off Hiashi, his words getting slower and slurred with each fraction of a second. Suddenly Hiashi's mind drifted back to the last time he had seen Tetsuma's face…

--

_"Don't you see your killing our clan's power?!" shouted the young , fifteen year-old Tetsuma at Hiashi inside the clan's meeting house. Surrounding them were the elders of the clan, some nodding in agreement with Tetsuma, some strongly shaking their heads in the negative. "Hinata is not worthy of taking over the clan! Give this honor to me – I will make sure the clan survives, and that our fate will never be like that of the Uchiha!"  
_

"_You have never voiced such an opinion before…" said Hiashi slowly, anger trickling through his voice. "You have always shown nothing but the kindest respect towards my daughter, and even offered encouraging words to her. You are not being yourself, Tetsuma."  
_

"_I cannot say such things to such a little girl…" growled Tetsuma. "She still does not understand the world she lives in; but if you act now and transfer the leadership to me-…"  
_

"_Absolutely not!" shouted Hiashi, standing up as he stared down upon Tetsuma. "My brother Hizashi died to destroy the foolish quandary of fate and power in which the Hyuga had let ourselves become entrenched! The purpose of this clan – of any clan – is to ensure the good of the village. You would have us act directly against the people of Konoha!"  
_

"_Because the people of Konoha are weak!" retorted Tetsuma. "You are weak! Hinata is weak! It's amazing that our clan isn't a mockery among the Country of Fire! If our ancestors had been wiser, they would have seen that the Hyuga clan should rightly be the leaders of the world!"  
_

"_What are you saying?!" asked one of the elders. "The Hyuga don't have the power to rule the world-…"  
_

"_Because you are all too weak," replied Tetsuma angrily. "Hokage, Raikage, Mizukage…all of these patsies should be regular citizens, not leaders. We, the Hyuga, the possessors of the doujutsu Byakugan…we should be the ones governing the world with our superior ability and intellect."  
_

"_Are you mad?!" gasped another of the elders. "You are suggesting we usurp the Hokage's power?!"  
_

"_Tetsuma…" growled Hiashi, his head now bowed and eyes closed. "You traitorous whelk…I cannot allow someone so vocal and extreme to persist in my clan. The days of selfishness among the Hyuga are gone. As a member of the branch family especially, you have brought dishonor upon yourself and your family, not to mention the entire Hyuga clan."  
_

"_Arrest him!" cried out one of the elders, to which the others began mumbling in approval. Several of the younger elders then stood and approached Tetsuma, who now looked quickly back and forth at the approaching enforcers.  
_

"_Arrest me?" asked Tetsuma sarcastically. "Me? The one who wants to save the clan? So help me, you will all perish…and I will restore this clan to its rightful position!"  
With a sudden burst of light and smoke Tetsuma vanished, leaving the elders and Hiashi coughing in the dust.  
_

"_After him!" shouted one of the elders, and the throng ran out of the building pursuing their fey. Hiashi, however, remained, his head still bowed and eyes closed, only now tears were streaming down his face.  
_

"_Tetsuma…" he muttered sorrowfully._

--

_I can see your thoughts, foolish uncle…_ said Tetsuma's voice in Hiashi head. _With this doujutsu, nothing is protected, not even your deepest secrets…_

Hiashi lurched forward and fell upon his hands and knees, sweat pouring down his face, his eyes dilated and bulging. Behind, Hanabi trembled as she saw her father fall.

"Stop it!!" she screamed, and without thinking she rushed at Tetsuma. "Jyuuken!" she shouted, her right palm glowing blue with chakra as she lunged forward to smite him – suddenly, however, Karasu appeared between her and Tetsuma. Karasu deftly knocked the much younger Hanabi's hand away, and with a crushing blow she knocked her flying backwards with her own palm, connecting at the top of Hanabi's chest. Hanabi crashed to the ground gasping for breath, but as she tried to stand back up a foot came down upon her back, forcing her down and pressing her hard into the ground.

"I'm not supposed to kill you, Hanabi-chan…"growled Karasu in a frightening voice. "But if you lay a finger on my love, I am ready to suffer the consequences." Below, Hanabi sputtered for breath as her lungs were forced closed under Karasu's pressure.

_Your daughter…she is quite the feisty one, isn't she?_ asked Tetsuma's voice in Hiashi's mind. _Much more active than Hinata, that is for sure. I think Hanabi will make a fine student…_

"N-n-no…" stammered Hiashi under his breath. Images of horror flashed across his mind – the murder of his clan, blood flowing down the streets from the children and mothers, the bodies of the men piled and burned, Tetsuma's cruel laughter filling the air…

_Behold my power…_ said Tetsuma's voice. _And look at you, the supposed great leader of the Hyuga. Look what you've become. You are worthless, you are nothing!_ Suddenly Hiashi's body began to writhe in pain, as though he were being wracked with a thousand swords all at once. _This will be your end, Hiashi Hyuga, and I…I will be your executioner._

--

"What in the hell…?!" gasped Tsunade as she looked out across the village, seeing the enormous plume of smoke rising from the explosion.

"I guess you were right after all…" said the Mizukage Yuriko.

"Come, on, we're going!" commanded Tsunade. "Help me deal with this!" Tsunade then leaped out of her window and onto the rooftops beyond, leaving Yuriko alone for a moment.

"Couldn't hurt…" he said to himself. "And maybe I will run into those three that tried to kill me earlier." With that, Yuriko likewise leaped out of the window after Tsunade.  
The two did not get far, however, and Tsunade stopped as four figures rapidly approached her from a perpendicular direction.

"Guy!" called out Tsunade.

"Hokage-sama!" cried out Guy, sweat pouring down his face, his subordinates Lee, Tenten and Neji in likewise states. "We were attacked near the border! Three ninja…they are coming here!"

"Something tells me they already are here," said Tsunade. "Guy! Split up and move across the village. Find any intruders and eliminate them. Go, now!" Guy nodded somewhat reluctantly, and his team split off and disappeared. Suddenly a new series of explosions, all much smaller, appeared off towards the business district.

"What is going on?!" asked Tsunade, her voice now full with a mixture of worry and rage. "Let's keep going-…" Tsunade stopped as yet another group rapidly approached them, but her curiosity was cut short as a flurry of black ribbons flew out from the body on of one of the three strangers towards her and Yuriko.

"Look out!" cried Yuriko, grabbing the flat-footed Tsunade around the waist and jumping into the air just as the ribbons ripped into the rooftop where she had been standing.

"Thank you, Mizukage-sama…" said Tsunade as Yuriko released her and the two landed several rooftops away.

"That's them…" observed Yuriko with considerable concern in his voice. "Those are the three that attacked me in my village."

"The lovely lady Tsunade!" cried out Itami Noborou from across the rooftops. "I am happy to see you finally found love!" As Tsunade looked upon Itami, she felt as though her heart had stopped. She had seen Itami before, long ago when she was a young Jonin, when the love of her life was taken from her. It was him…

"You…" she said softly.

"I'm glad you recognize me," said Itami as he, Ona, and Kurayami hopped across the rooftops until they landed only a few yards away from Tsunade and Yuriko. "And you are still looking as gorgeous as ever…just like me!" Itami began to cackle in cruel laughter, all the while Tsunade trembled at seeing this man, this man who killed Dan thirty years earlier.

"You…" stammered Tsunade. "You killed Dan…"

"I had been hired by Konoha's enemies at the time, and he merely stood in the way of us completing our mission," continued Itami. "It wasn't anything personal, just business."

"YOU KILLED DAN!" screamed Tsunade. Her mind and heart were now out of control; she hadn't felt this way since Orochimaru had offered to resurrect Dan and her little brother. Tears streamed down Tsunade's cheeks, but Itami merely scoffed at her for this show of weakness.

"Itami, you didn't even touch her and already she is losing it," observed the red-eyed Ona.

"Tsunade…you are embarrassing me," said Itami. "You are legendary…tears are unbecoming of you."

"You made the worst mistake of your life attacking my village…" stammered Tsunade with unbridled rage. "I will avenge my lover…and you will not destroy this village while I am yet alive."

"A challenge?!" gasped Itami excitedly. "Excellent! Kurayami, bind them!"

--

Chizome landed upon the ground near the blast crater, his red hair standing vertically and erratically as he peered across the scene. Smoldering material burned all around, and the buildings that still stood in the immediate vicinity were charred and broken beyond repair.

"So this was Dakatsu's end, huh?" muttered Chizome with a strangely depressed tone. "No blood, no bodies, nothing…how frightfully dull." Behind, Chizome suddenly heard footsteps, and a smile grew upon his lips.

"You there!" shouted out a male ANBU with a bird mask. "Don't move!"

"Heh…" laughed Chizome. "Already, huh?" Chizome then turned to face the ANBU guard, and as he did so three others appeared, each with a different mask hiding their faces.

"Who are you?!" gasped one of the newly arrived ANBU, this one a woman. Chizome again laughed as he looked upon the four guards.

"Ah, the feared ANBU of Konoha…" he said with false respect. "I think you will make a good appetizer."

"Identify yourself! Now!!" shouted the first ANBU, ignoring Chizome's statement.

"I am Chizome of the Stone," answered Chizome haughtily.

"The Stone?" asked the female ANBU. "But your forehead protector…it's from Konoha…"

"Oh, this?" asked Chizome, tapping the Konoha protector on his forehead. "This is just my passport, you know?"

"So you did this?!" growled one of the other ANBU.

"Sadly, no," replied Chizome with the same saddened tone he had used earlier. "The loser who did this couldn't even do it right. I'm here to mop up and to try to make the explosion seem worthwhile."

"You are under arrest!" shouted the first ANBU. "Do not resist or we will be forced to end your life!"

"Fine then…" said Chizome with a sigh. "I give up." Chizome then raised his hands up unusually quickly, but as he did so he flicked his hands forward, releasing several shuriken at the ANBU guards.

"What the..?!" gasped the female ANBU, but they were taken off guard and the shuriken struck the two male ANBU at the ends, causing small spurts of blood to fly out from their bodies. With the two center ANBU thus distracted, Chizome rapidly wove a series of seals, and with a cruel smile he spoke the jutsu.

"Kessen no jutsu." (Bloody battle technique)

Suddenly the two ANBU at the ends began screaming as they fell to their knees, but after only a moment they fell silent.

"What?!" shouted the female ANBU, but even she could tell that the two were already dead.

"My technique has particular potency at such a close range," said Chizome. "You should know that I am the greatest assassin in the world; even the Raikage didn't stand a chance against me."

"Y-you killed the Raikage?!" gasped the remaining male ANBU. Chizome grinned menacingly.

"Oh yes," he replied. "He was a piece of cake. Honestly, you two don't stand a chance against me. But please – don't let that stop you."

"You monster!" screamed the female ANBU, and she and her male counterpart rushed towards Chizome.

"So troublesome…" yawned Chizome, and he prepared two more shuriken in his right hand. "I suppose I could just end it here and look for something else to kill." Chizome then threw the shuriken at the two ANBU, but even though they saw them coming, they couldn't seem to dodge – the shuriken looked to be moving on their own.

"Dammit!" cursed the male ANBU as the two broke off their charge and leaped backwards out of the way, but no matter how hard they tried, the shuriken followed them.

"He's from the Village of Stone!" said the female ANBU as she back flipped just as one of the shuriken flew past her. "He is a magnetics user!"

"Very good!" called out Chizome. "Not only am I a magnetics user, I'm a damn good magnetics user, better than any other. But seriously, no more games. You're both going to die…NOW!" Chizome moved his hands quickly as though pulling strings, and the two shuriken raced towards the ANBU guards. This time, however, they were unable to dodge.

"Got you…" said Chizome with a cruel grin, but as he did so something strange happened. Two pillars of sand appeared as if out of nowhere, catching the shuriken just before they hit their targets. The two pillars then folded, crushing the shuriken. Chizome then looked off behind him towards the other side of the crater, where he saw three figures standing: a girl with an enormous fan, a boy dressed up like a freaky-looking cat, and a red-haired boy wearing long, handsome red clothes, the word "love" written upon his forehead in red lettering.

"You two should go help the others in the village," said Gaara the Kazekage to the ANBU guards. "We will take care of this one."

**SUPER CHRISTMAS EVE PRESENT! New for Wednesday, 12/24/2008: THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS MAKE THEIR MOVE, PART II**

**BONUS!** Finals are done, and Akira is back in full swing. Thank you for your patience. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife, Jade, for all her help in editing and proofing my stories. Without her, I would surely look like a fool ^_^.


	24. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23: THE TWELVE CLOAKED DAGGERS MAKE THEIR MOVE, PART II**

_(This is another shorter chapter…really short. Actually, this should have been part of the last chapter, but I wasn't done figuring this all out until today. That said, enjoy!)_

_(Note: when dogs talk to their masters [in dogspeak] in this story, I am following Lord Gale119's lead and underlining the text. Just so that there is no confusion. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! ^_^)_

Deep in the forests of the Konoha village, Tsume Inuzuka stood with her wild eyes in shock in front of her home as the shock from the explosion reached her. Behind her, her canine companion Kuromaru, the fearsome wolf with an eye patch growled as he and his master saw the huge column of smoke rising up from behind the surrounding forest.

"This can't be happening again…" said Tsume with worry in her voice. "Pain was defeated!"

"I can tell you it isn't the same as before," barked Kuromaru. "There is one really strange smell though coming from the village, and…" Kuromaru stopped and began to sniff harder, his head raised up into the air and his eyes closed.

"Kuromaru?" asked Tsume, but at that point she began to smell it too. "What the…?"

"He's approaching fast!" growled Kuromaru, the hair now standing up on his back. "Get ready!" Kuromaru bared his fangs and claws, his growling growing stronger and louder. Tsume pulled out a kunai and crouched slightly, her eyes darting back and forth, her nose sniffing rapidly.

"Smells like a bear…" observed Tsume. "Like the old Mitzigami clan…"

"Been a long time…" replied Kuromaru. "Haven't smelled something like this in years…but I agree with you. Whatever it is though, this guy's got some pretty scary chakra."

On the path before them, about thirty yards down, a dark figure appeared. He stood tall and was dressed in black and charcoal-colored garments, his hair was long and brown, spiked up in all directions, and from the looks of it he had an intense collection of scars upon his face.

"Tsume Inuzuka…" said the man with an air of respect. "So many years…so many long years…"

"Who are you?!" shouted Tsume, holding her kunai just below eye-level in front of her. "Identify yourself! Now!"

"No need to be rude, my dear," replied the man. "I don't think I need to introduce myself anyway – you know exactly who I am." The man then began walking towards her, all the while Kuromaru's growling increased. Tsume, however, gasped as he drew closer. Indeed she knew this man, and had her old wish come true, she would have never seen him again. This day, however, that wish fell through.

"Shirokuma…" she muttered. "Come to finish what you started, huh?"

"I'm glad you remembered," laughed Shirokuma, his voice sounding almost like a roar. "I got a little nervous there."

"Not this guy…" groaned Kuromaru to Tsume. "I thought he was dead!" Tsume looked into Shirokuma's evil eyes, the past almost springing out of them like a fountain of memory…

--

_Rain fell in sheets upon the muddy forest floor as Tsume, Kuromaru, and three ninja companions fled at full speed from the Mitzigami encampment now a mile behind them. What had started as a simple reconnaissance mission had gone horribly awry, and now Tsume's group was being pursued by a large group. Rumor had reached the Third that the Mitzigami clan of the northern realm of the Fire Country was dealing in kinjutsu, and although the rumor was initially brushed aside, a second thought led the Hokage to send the Inuzuka clan to investigate.  
_

_When Tsume's team arrived, almost immediately they found their answer. Like the Inuzuka, the Mitzigami clan dealt with animal companions; however, horrible death matches were being staged pitting master against companion, and horrible bloodshed and violent murder was being committed. Tsume's team tried to sneak out quietly to alert the ANBU, but somehow their cover was blown.  
_

"_Keep running!" said Tsume to her companions and the much younger and smaller Kuromaru. "They are catching up – if we slow down we'll be killed!"  
_

_The five then emerged into a muddy meadow, and immediately they began splashing across the water-soaked ground. They did not get far, however, before they realized that they were completely surrounded by dark, rain-drenched figures.  
_

"_Inuzuka…" growled one of the figures in an awful, beast-like voice. "Can't you pawns mind your own business? Do you always feel the need to meddle in others traditions?"  
_

"_Traditions?!" cried Tsume. "You call murder 'tradition'? You aren't worthy to be called shinobi of the Fire!"  
_

"_And who are you to judge us?" asked the figure. Above, lightning struck, temporarily illuminating his face. His eyes were pure evil;, his face covered in scars from multitudes of battles and engagements.  
_

"_Shirokuma Mitzigami…I am Tsume of Konoha, and I have every right to judge you and your clan for what is blatant murder-…!" Below, Kuromaru began to whimper gently as he felt the overwhelming chakra of Shirokuma overwhelm his senses.  
_

"_Shut up, you bitch!" screamed Shirokuma in a roar. "You will pay dearly for your insults against my clan! Prepare yourselves, Konoha rats, for you will very quickly be joining the dead in the next world, as will the entire Inuzuka clan after you!"  
_

_The throng of Mitzigami ninja then rushed towards them with bloodthirsty screams and war cries, but as soon as their charge began another sound interrupted the stormy night. The Inuzuka clan, along with dozens of ANBU Black Ops entered the meadow. Blood lust prevailed in the minds of the Mitzigami, and the massacre then ensued. By the next morning the bodies of what was discovered to be every member of the Mitzigami clan was collected in the field – every member, that is, except for one._

--

"Ha ha ha!!!" shrieked the crazily white-haired Raiko Ikazuchi as he threw several kunai with exploding tags attached into various buildings in the heart of Konoha. "That's right! Run! Scream! Tell everyone we're here! Call the guards and the Hokage herself! Gyah ha ha!!!" All around people ran and screamed, many already fallen to the ground, killed and injured from the devastation being wrought upon them. Surrounding Raiko were Tonbo and six other ninja from the brine, all likewise engaged in the destruction of the village around them.

From the shadows of an alleyway down the road, however, a young teenage girl with peculiar red hair peeked out at the attackers. Her youthful eyes glistened as fear enveloped her, but she, being a kunoichi of Konoha, had to act. Behind her, a brown-haired boy with glasses shivered as the explosions wracked the air with tumultuous noise.

"Moegi!" asked the boy. "What do you see?!"

"Eight men, Udon," replied Moegi. "They are throwing exploding tags into the buildings, but…"

"But what?" pestered Udon. Moegi didn't bother looking back, her gaze almost hypnotically set on the eight antagonists in the street.

"They aren't acting…normal," she continued after a moment. "It's almost as if…they're just making noise."

"Making noise?" asked Udon. "Why would they want to do that?"

"I don't know…" replied Moegi, but before she could continue several blurs flew past the alley towards the group of attackers. Out in the street, Raiko noticed the approaching figures with a smile.

"Ah, the ANBU has arrived!" he shouted gleefully. "All right, boys and girls, you know what to do!" A group of four ANBU appeared in the street before the attackers, all dressed in their usual garb with various colorful masks covering their faces.

"Destroy them!" called out the lead ANBU guard, and without a word the team split and rushed at Raiko's group. It was then that Moegi's once fearful expression turned to absolute horror as she watched the events unfold in the street.

Streams of every element shot out from the attackers at the ANBU guards, and rapidly each and every one of the guards fell to the ground, their blood sprayed over the dirt and plaster walls around them. Raiko and the others, however, were untouched, these seemingly having not moved even an inch during the massacre.

"Ha!" laughed Raiko, now wiping a spray of blood from his face. "Is that the best you can do, Konoha?! The Country of Lightning at least put up a decent fight!"

"They're setting a trap!" gasped Moegi. "That's why they were making all the noise! They're trying to ki-…!" Moegi stopped suddenly, and her body began to shake.

"Come on out, little girl!" called Raiko sweetly. "Raiko seeeeeees you!!!"

**New for Saturday, 12/27/2008: KONOHA ABLAZE – THE WRATH OF THE TWELVE**

**BONUS!** Nice and short…just like me. Tee hee hee. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Jade and I spent ours down with my parents in Highland, Utah, and while there we received about two feet of snow overnight. Back in Salt Lake, it's looking like we might get a foot or two ourselves tonight. WHITE CHRISTMAS! HUZZAH!


	25. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24: KONOHA ABLAZE – THE WRATH OF THE TWELVE**

The two ANBU guards disappeared in a blur, leaving Chizome alone with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro across the crater. For several moments the four stood in silence, Chizome eyeing and observing each of these new threats carefully.

"Who are you?" asked Chizome while stroking his chin.

"We are the Sand Siblings," replied Temari proudly.

"Sand?" asked Chizome inquisitively. "That must mean…you're the Kazekage! Gaara of the Sand, I am honored to meet you!" Chizome gave a small bow towards Gaara, whose expression remained unchanged.

"And who are you?" asked Kankuro. "You don't look like anyone in the bingo books that we've seen." Chizome's cheeks turned red as he blushed at this statement.

"I know, isn't it great?!" laughed Chizome with a strangely arrogant tone. "I've been the most underestimated villain in history, but now things are starting to turn."

"Turn?" asked Temari. "You are this cocky before your destruction?"

"Destruction? Ha!" laughed Chizome rudely. "I am Chizome of the Stone! The legendary Raikage fell at my hands without me even breaking a sweat! And now I get the opportunity to add to my remarkable list of assassinations thanks to you, Kazekage-sama!" Chizome began to giggle fiendishly like a small boy upon finishing this statement, annoying Kankuro and Temari immensely.

"Gaara," said Temari coldly. "Kankuro and I will take care of this clown."

"Yeah," added Kankuro, now pulling a scroll from his back. "My new puppet should be plenty if we both go at him at once. Summoning art! Kitsune!" (Fox) Kankuro then tossed the scroll into the air where it unraveled while he bit his thumb, and as it hit the ground he wove a series of signs. At the termination of the string of movements, a puff of smoke appeared in front of him, revealing a horrifying-looking puppet never before seen in Konoha.

Kitsune stood on four legs, about four feet in length with a long, waving tail made of interlocking joints. The face of the puppet was true to its name, inasmuch as it looked almost exactly like that of a sneering fox not unlike the Kyuubi, its metal teeth bared and sharp as razors. Its coloring was the same as Crow, one of Kankuro's older puppets: grayish-brown material, black, scraggly threads for hair, and yellow, frightening eyes.

"A puppet?" asked Chizome with a grimace. "You are going to fight me with a puppet? Who do you think you are, Sasori!? Ha!"

"Sasori himself said I was a master puppeteer," retorted Kankuro slyly. "I wouldn't underestimate me if I were you."

"Sasori said that? Hmph…" grunted Chizome. "He was powerful, and frightening…but he was nothing compared to Deidara of the Stone, and Deidara is nothing compared to me!" Chizome's eyes scowled as they fell upon Kankuro, and his fists tightened.

"This guy's all talk," said Temari, mimicking a yawn. "Kank, let's just waste him and move on."

"Agreed," said Kankuro with a grin. "Go, Kitsune!" With a flash the fox puppet flew across the crater straight at Chizome, the rattling noises echoing off the ruined walls around them.

"Hmph…" mumbled Chizome with a tired look in his eyes. "Kids…" Kitsune then spun around in midair and swung its tail at Chizome, and with a deafening crash it slammed into the ground where he stood, sending debris and dust high into the air – but Chizome was no longer on the ground, he having leaped into the air just prior to the tail connecting.

"He's in the air!" said Kankuro, wisely noticing that Chizome had dodged the attack. "Temari! Take him down!" Temari smirked and opened her fan, exposing all three moons.

"Kazekamisori no jutsu!" shouted Temari (Wind razor technique), and she swung her fan mightily at Chizome, who could do nothing but hold up his arms as the razor-sharp vectors of wind slashed at his body. The winds then died down, and Chizome fell limp and silently to the ground, landing with a resounding thud.

"It's over…" said Temari. "Let's go."

"What a wuss," added Kankuro as Kitsune flew back across the crater, landing softly next to him. "I bet he was lying about taking down the Raikage."

"Stop, both of you," demanded Gaara suddenly. His eyes scowled as he looked across the crater at the crumpled body of Chizome. "Something isn't right."

"Gaara?" asked Temari. "What is it? He couldn't have survived a direct hit like that-…"

"This is no ordinary man…" interrupted Gaara. Sand began floating up from the ground before him. "He is very much alive."

"What?!" gasped Temari. "How do you know?"

"I can feel his heart beating against the ground," replied Gaara calmly. At that same moment, the three sand siblings gasped as Chizome stood up on the other side of the crater as though nothing had happened.

"That was a good technique," said Chizome nonchalantly, his clothes torn and ripped where the wind razors had sliced him, but no blood was to be seen on them.

"How did you…?!" gasped Temari again. "I hit you squarely! You shouldn't be standing!"

"Looks like you only got his clothes…" muttered Kankuro, though his voice was not without fear. Beyond, Chizome began cackling in hideous laughter.

"Ha!" he laughed. "Tetsuma always scolds me for playing with my victims too much before I kill them, but he's not here is he? Hee hee hee!!!"

"This guy is crazy…" said Temari quietly, her eyes wide as the ninja opposite them continued his hysterical laughter. "Gaara…?"

"Stay calm…" said Gaara coolly, his gaze still fixed on Chizome. "Whatever you do, don't panic."

"That's right sweetheart!" added Chizome rudely. "Don't panic, or else it will just hurt more! Gyah ha ha!"

"This guy…" growled Kankuro. "I've had it with him!" Kankuro leaped into the air with his puppet, launching at Chizome who now exuded a look of childish curiosity.

"Kankuro! No!" shouted Gaara, but it was too late as Kitsune again flew at Chizome. The fox again collided into the ground with a crash and plume of dust, but again Chizome dodged, this time hopping backwards instead of into the air.

"You first?" asked Chizome. "Very well, I accept!" Kankuro scowled and gritted his teeth.

"We were gonna tag-team this one, but…" began Kankuro. "I guess I'll just take you down myself." Kankuro wiggled his fingers and suddenly with a metallic noise innumerable blades appeared at the joints of Kitsune's tail.

"Oh?" asked Chizome, pursing his mouth in mockery.

"Ningyo geki: seikyobiju!" shouted Kankuro. (Puppet show: tail of doom)

--

"Kurayami! Bind them!" commanded Itami on the rooftops near the face-carved mountain, and Kurayami wordlessly obeyed, leaning over as the large tattoo on his forehead began to glow. Like lightning a flurry of dark ribbons shot out from his shadow towards Tsunade and Yuriko.

"Kurayami…our leader…" said Ona breathlessly. "He is amazing…" Kurayami smiled as the ribbons neared the Hokage and Mizukage, both of whom seemed to be immobilized out of shock. Itami too saw this, but instead frowned as the ribbons pierced their bodies, breaking through them and spraying what appeared to be blood into the air, but instantly their bodies changed.

"What?!" gasped Ona. Two clumps of brown goo were no in the place of the kages, their bodies nowhere to be seen. Itami continued his frown and peered from side to side.

"Just like Konoha…" he muttered. "They trick you into thinking such a simple attack can take them out…"

"We were foolish to fall for that," added Ona, her red eyes gazing rapidly across the surroundings. "But its no matter – they are below on the street."

"I love you, Ona," said Itami with a smarmy smile, and the three leaped off the rooftop onto the street. "Now, where are they-…" Itami ducked his head off to the side just as Tsunade's fist sailed past his ear.

"Not in my town!" growled Tsunade, swinging against at Itami whoa again dodged as her fist crashed into a wall, shattering it and sending debris in all directions. "Not after what we've been through!" Itami jumped out of the way, skidding along the ground as he, Ona, and Kurayami again were separated by a few yards distance from the kages, both of whom appeared fully ready for battle.

"This is finally getting interesting," said Itami with a grin. "What should we try next?" Itami stroked his chin and let out a sigh.

"I know," said Ona, her eyes glowing brighter than before. "Genjustu: tsukiwonagameru!" (Illusion technique: moon gaze) Suddenly her eyes flashed brightly, burning two faint dots into Tsunade and Yuriko's retinas.

"Gah!" grunted Yuriko. "You called out your genjutsu? What are you thinking?!" One merely smiled gently back at Yuriko.

"See you…" she said softly. The surroundings began to melt and run down to the ground, leaving Tsunade and Yuriko in a field of darkness, their bodies illuminated against some omnipresent but invisible light source.

"This isn't good…" muttered Tsunade, making a sign with her hands. "Release!" Tsunade waited, but after a moment nothing happened.

"What?!" gasped Yuriko, likewise making the same sign. "Release!" Still, no effect was observed leaving the two in the darkness.

"You cannot escape my jutsu…" echoed the voice of Ona. "No one ever has, and no one ever will…" At that point Tsunade and Yuriko both felt as though someone had touched their foreheads lightly, and Yuriko began to panic.

"Oh no…" he muttered, but no sooner had he done so than a bright light not unlike the moon appeared above them, and slowly it began to melt, falling down around them until they were back in the street with the three villains before them though now Itami was only three yards away from them.

"I don't get it…" said Tsunade slowly. "What just happened?"

"This is bad…" continued Yuriko in his panicked tone. Beyond, Itami smirked and gave a small laugh.

"That is right, Mizukage-sama," he said lightly, then changing to a much darker tone. "This IS bad. Heh heh heh!"

"This isn't a genjutsu…" observed Tsunade as she pinched her arm. "This is real…"

"That technique is unbreakable, but it doesn't last for very long," chimed in Ona happily. "On its own, it is nothing more than a distraction, totally blocking out the real world to those who fall under its power, encasing them in an existence of my own creation. Combined with other techniques, however…"

"It becomes a tool of devastation," said Itami, finishing her statement. "Two kages…two ultimate prizes. Behold my jutsu!" Itami then began weaving a strange series of signs, wholly unfamiliar to both Tsunade and Yuriko.

"Tsunade-sama!" said Yuriko hastily, but before he could continue Itami interrupted him.

"Kanjipo: kanjo inyuken!" (Sense Art: Empathic Bond)

"What?!" gasped Tsunade. "Empathic bond? But how…?"

"While in Ona's trance, I touched both of you on your foreheads," answered Itami. "I am an empath of the Void, and a talented medical ninja much like you, Hokage-sama. By simply touching and mingling our chakras, even a little, I can create a bond between through which I can channel energy and emotion, sense and feeling. And with this technique…" Itami paused and grinned, while Tsunade and Yuriko both looked on with horrified looks upon their faces.

"We are now connected," finished Itami, grinning even larger than before. "What I feel, you feel and vice versa. Our bodies now feel as one."

"Hidan…you have his same technique?" asked Tsunade, sweat now dripping off her forehead.

"Hidan?" asked Itami. "The late Hidan of Akatsuki? I'm afraid not, Hokage-sama. While on the outside, yes, they may seem similar; in practice, however, mine is far superior."

"And how is that?" she continued, but suddenly both she and Yuriko screamed out in agony, clenching their chests as though their hearts were on fire. Itami clutched his chest as well, giving a small groan of pain.

"I can simulate…my own…pain…" Itami stammered through winces and heavy breathing. "How does it feel…to have your hearts…burn? Does it…hurt? Does it…sting?" Tsunade fell to her knees, still screaming in agony. Yuriko too then fell to the ground, but after a few seconds the pain stopped, leaving both kages trembling in shock. Itami then began to laugh again, his voice sounding normal as before.

"Itami-san…" said Ona quietly. "Seems we might have some trouble."

"Eh?" asked Itami. "I can handle these two now. Can't you and Kurayami deal with it?"

"You might want to duck fairly quickly," said Ona in a clam tone. Behind her, Kurayami's eyes shifted up and to the right as something caught his eye. A shadow passed upon the scene, and even Tsunade in her shocked and trembling state noticed the intense green jumpsuit enter her field of vision, a mighty foot extended as the figure flew through the air at Itami and gave a triumphantly youthful shout:

"Dynamic Entry!"

--

Hiashi Hyuga lurched backward in pain as he gave a silent scream, his eyes tightly shut as Tetsuma stared intensely at his prey, the Ikemasen Byakugan in his eyes glowing brightly against the light of day. Hanabi, his daughter, could do nothing but watch her father suffer as Karasu pressed down against her back, forcing her against the ground. Tears streamed down Hanabi's face for her father; even after all the hope he had placed in her over the years of her growth and development, she was powerless to help him in the face of evil.

"Can you see it yet, Hiashi-sama?" asked Tetsuma cruelly as Hiashi's body wracked itself under Tetsuma's genjutsu. "Can you see the afterlife?"

"Stop it!" cried Hanabi, to which Tetsuma gave a small, uncomforting smirk.

"No, Hanabi-chan," he replied with false sweetness. "I will not. Your father is a criminal in my eyes, for he has stolen away the honor of the clan. I am simply dealing out punishment as I see fair; I'm sure you will eventually agree with me that what I am doing is indeed the right thing."

"T-Tetsuma…" said Hanabi, the tears now flowing out of her eyes and emotion flooding her body to the point of pain. "Stop it! Leave my father alone, you monster!"

"Monster?" gasped Tetsuma. "Me? I don't know about that…"

"I will…if you don't…I promise…" stammered Hanabi, the thoughts in her mind failing to realize themselves into words.

"I was afraid this would happen," said Tetsuma softly in a discouraged tone. "I feared that Hiashi's influence would warp the children's minds, and clearly it has. Karasu, I have no use for this girl any longer; she is not the ideal vessel I thought she would be for helping restore the clan's power. Do with her as you see fit." Karasu smiled, and below her foot, Hanabi's heart skipped a beat.

"She will make a nice offering to Hiren…" mused Karasu pleasantly, and Hanabi heard the sound of steel on leather as Karasu pulled out a long, black knife from a sheath at the small of her back. "Hanabi-chan, it was nice to meet you."

"N-n-no…" said Hanabi slowly, but the words were nothing more as whispers as death stared her in the eyes. Above, Tetsuma frowned and looked back at Hiashi.

"Look, Hiashi-sama," he said sadly as Hiashi's head slowly turned to face Hanabi upon the ground beneath Karasu's foot. "Look what you have forced me to do. It didn't have to be this way; it didn't have to be this way at all. You should have listened to me back then instead of exiling me. Even the children are guilty of betraying the clan, and Hanabi will be the first to pay the price of your selfishness." Karasu lowered the knife to Hanabi's neck, the sharp blade pressing against her fair skin, and Tetsuma's heart broke down in anguish.

_I have failed the Hyuga…_ he thought. _I have failed them all, even Hanabi…_

"For the restoration of my love's clan," said Karasu softly, and she pressed the blade against Hanabi's trembling neck.

"What?" gasped Tetsuma suddenly, and without warning Karasu's knife flew out of her hands as a spray of sparks appeared just above Hanabi's head accompanied by the screech of steel meeting steel.

"Tetsuma nii-san…" said Neji Hyuga from across the garden pond, his arms folded and his Byakugan activated. "Let them go!"

"Neji?" asked Tetsuma. "Is that you?"

"He looks just like you," observed Karasu. Below, Hanabi continued trembling, but now her heart filled with hope with her cousin's arrival.

"Those eyes…" muttered Neji. "That is no ordinary Byakugan."

"Quite right, Neji-san!" replied Tetsuma. "But I'm afraid this little reunion is of little comfort to me, for it seems that all the Hyuga have gone astray."

"Oh?" asked Neji, now striking the Hyuga battle position.

"I will deal with you later…" growled Tetsuma to Hiashi, and with that Hiashi's eyes closed and his body became limp, falling crumpled to the ground.

"Father!" screamed Hanabi, finally wresting free from Karasu's foot and running over to him. "No…!" Hanabi suddenly fell to the ground unconscious as Karasu's fist found the back of her head.

"Thank you, my love," said Tetsuma.

"You have made a terrible mistake," growled Neji. "Harming my dear uncle and cousin, bringing destruction to this village…I will not allow for it!"

"What a bothersome bunch of ninja you're generation turned out to be," groaned Tetsuma. His Ikemasen points began to flicker slightly as he stared at and stepped towards Neji, and like his uncle before him, Neji's body suddenly became stiff, his face contorted in extreme pain. Tetsuma then pulled out a kunai and held it in his fingers.

"Gah!" cried out Neji, and Tetsuma gave a heavy sigh.

"I have no time to play with you," he said to Neji, and with a flick of the wrist the kunai flew true and pierced Neji through his neck, but as it did his body burst into a puff of smoke revealing a Neji-sized log, the kunai fixed firmly into the bark.

"Substitution?" gasped Karasu. Tetsuma, on the other hand, merely scowled.

"I got lazy there," he muttered. "How foolish of me to underestimate you like I did with Hinata-chan."

"You are within my eight trigrams," declared Neji a few yards behind Tetsuma. "Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!"

**New for Wednesday, January 7, 2008: LIGHTNING AND RAGE**

**BONUS!** Hi there, my beloved readers! If you didn't get the news earlier, I have switched my release dates from Wednesday and Saturday to just Wednesday from now on. I'm not doing this to be mean (I promise); since these are among the final chapters, I want to take my time and make sure the product is as good as possible before I post it. Anyway, thank you for your continued readership!


	26. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER 25: LIGHTNING AND RAGE**

The ground rumbled as small explosions erupted over the trees, but none of it seemed to affect Tsume, Kuromaru, or Shirokuma as the three stared each other down.

"Your village is under attack," said Shirokuma with a fiendish grin. "Doesn't that bother you? Aren't you going to go help them?"

"They should be able to handle it themselves," said Tsume with a growl peeking through her voice. "Konoha has many able ninja in it; my place is here with you, it would seem."

"Fate does have a funny way of putting people together, doesn't it…" mused Shirokuma. "It does help when one is the controlling factor, but still."

"So what did you have planned?" asked Tsume. "You just gonna talk me to death?"

"This guy's chakra is crazy…" growled Kuromaru softly. "He's nowhere near the ninja he once was; he's on a totally different level now – more chakra than both of us combined…a lot more…"

"Still talking to your pets, hm?" asked Shirokuma mockingly. "You haughty and self-righteous Inuzuka. You should have learned long ago that sharing the power with your animals only limits your progress."

"You would kill your closest friends for power?" asked Tsume.

"If it would result in my betterment…yes," replied Shirokuma calmly. "Come now, don't act so shocked! It's not that crazy an idea; after all, the Uchiha clan has practiced this over the centuries – in cover of darkness, of course."

"The Uchiha were destroyed because of such works," countered Tsume. "Down to one child, and even he fell into that same trap and tried to kill his best friend! Tell me: how this has made anyone better!?"

"Ah, you speak of Sasuke…" chuckled Shirokuma. "I've heard of that one. He is powerful, but his mind is cluttered. He would not hear Master Tetsuma out when we offered him a position in our organization. That Sasuke is troubled inside; half his heart obsessed with Akatsuki and power, the other half longing for the life of weakness and futility he left behind. Overall, however, he is nothing."

"And why is that?" asked Tsume, upon which Shirokuma's eyes grew crazed and an enormous grin shot across his face.

"Because," laughed Shirokuma with a hideous roar that echoed off the trees. "He feels guilt for his murders. That is a weakness that I never had and never will have! Ninpou! Kuma Hengen!" (Ninja art: bear transformation) Shirokuma 's growling intensified as his body began to grow before Tsume's eyes, clumps of hair appearing on his arms and face.

"What are you…?!" gasped Tsume. Before her, Shirokuma had transformed into what looked like half bear and half man. Huge claws protruded out of his hands, his muscles were triple the size they were before, and in his eyes the crazed look now became pure insanity.

"See, Tsume?" roared Shirokuma coarsely. "See what the Inuzuka have been missing out on? Look at me! Look at this power gained from my old bear companion!"

"This is…this is evil at its worst!" shouted Tsume. "You murdered your companion, and now you are nothing more than a monster!"

"Ha! Monster she calls me!" laughed Shirokuma. "There are no monsters in this world, Tsume-chan, only those who are able to strike fear in others. Your clan is weak, just like the rest of your Konoha clods, and after I'm through with you, I'm going to tear out the hearts of everyone I meet in this stinking village!"

"So let's get it started then," growled Tsume. "Ready, Kuromaru?"

"Very," replied the husky. Tsume then fell to all fours, and shouted out with a horrific, raspy growl.

"Kemono hengen!" (Beast Transformation). With a puff of smoke Kuromaru took on the appearance of Tsume, although somewhat more wild looking. Shirokuma looked on at the two and grinned with a laugh.

"Two Tsumes?" he asked. "If I wasn't here to kill you, I would be extremely turned on right now…"

"Gatsuga!" shouted Tsume (Fang over fang), and suddenly she and her clone began twirling rapidly, their fangs and teeth turning them into deadly cyclones. Like lightning the two them smashed into the ground and flew at Shirokuma, who stood motionlessly.

"Boring…" yawned the bear ninja. The two spiraling shredders sped towards him, getting closer and closer with each fraction of a second, and just as they were a foot from his body he finally moved. With horrific speed his clawed fist shot out, delivering a crushing blow that cleaved through and connected with both spirals. Tsume and Kuromaru flew back, crashing and tumbling to a stop upon the ground.

"Gah!" cried out Tsume, blood trickling from her mouth. Away from her, Kuromaru returned to his normal state and got to hit feet, his handsome silver fur now tarnished with several spots of blood.

"Master Tetsuma has helped me reach new heights of power…" said Shirokuma slowly. "Power that you could never can handle. Even the mighty Country of Lightning fell to my power; hundreds upon hundreds of their ninja fell upon me, and all of them died in various painful methods. But please, Tsume-chan, don't give up. Fight me with your full strength…for my enjoyment, of course." Tsume got up, wiped the blood from her chin, and growled as she stared the bear ninja down.

"Kuromaru! Again!" she commanded. "Kemono hengen! Gatsuga!" Once again Kuromaru transformed into a second, more wild-looking Tsume, and the two resumed the violent, blindingly-fast spinning.

"You Inuzuka and your 'bite first, plan later' mentality!" chided Shirokuma. "Some things never change, do they?" Shirokuma swung mightily again with his fist, but instead of flesh he made contact with nothing but air. Kuromaru was gone and Tsume had stopped just short of his range, and Shirokuma found himself flat-footed and open to attack.

"Got you," said Tsume with a low growl, and instantly she resumed the Gatsuga, crushing into Shirokuma's chest and sending him flying back through the air. "Kuromaru! Now!"

"What?!" shouted the bear ninja as he flew listless through the air. Below him he heard the ground crack and rumble, and with a spiraling slurry of dirt and grass Kuromaru's Gatsuga shot up from the earth, striking Shirokuma squarely in the center of his back.

"GAH!" cried out the bear ninja as his body flew higher into the air from the Kuro's strike. Tsume and Kuromaru both watched as Shirokuma rose then plummeted through the air, finally crashing into the ground hard and releasing a fair-sized plume of dust and dirt. After a moment Shirokuma stood back up, holding his arm as though in pain.

"For all your stolen strength you still have at least one weakness," called out Tsume. "You took along with your bear's powers his inability to reject obvious patterns. After only one attack your mind fell for the trick and expected the same result. That is why you are now injured, and why we have the advantage. Give up now and we will allow you to live after paying for your crimes." Tsume waited for a surrendering reply, but instead was only greeted with slowly growing maniacal laughter.

"HA!" chortled Shirokuma. "Me? Give up? HA HA HA!" The bear ninja then pulled out from a sheath on his back a long, wavy katana and looked up at Tsume, his eyes filled with bloodthirsty rage the likes of which Tsume had never seen.

"Then there will be no mercy for you…" said Tsume softly.

"I don't need mercy!" shouted Shirokuma, breaking into a sprint towards Tsume and Kuro. "Die!!!" Shirokuma shot across the field at unimaginable speed, faster than Tsume or Kuromaru expected, and before they knew it he was already upon them, his katana slashing through the air at Tsume's neck.

"D-damn it!" she cried out, but her cry was met with the shriek of steel on steel as the bear ninja's sword was knocked back. A single kunai spun wildly through the air of away from them after striking the sword, and another voice entered the scene.

"Gee, mom," said Kiba atop of his magnificent white dog Akamaru. "You're embarrassing me!"

--

"Come out little girl! Raiko sees you!"

Moegi's body froze as Raiko's voice pierced her soul, igniting her fears all at once. Not since Pain had she felt this way, as though all her training, all her growth and courage – everything inside of her – was meaningless. Behind, Udon was already gone, and Moegi found herself all alone with this terror. Slowly she tried to back up, somehow to get away, but before she could even move a muscle the white-haired man with the crazed look on his face appeared crouching in front of her.

"You don't need to be afraid of me…" said Raiko. "I'm not going to hurt you…I'm just going to kill you. Gyah ha ha!" He then grabbed Moegi's throat and picked her struggling body up into the air, walking out into the center of the street with her.

"Trying to play the hero?" asked one of the ring ninja.

"Found this one in the shadows, Tonbo," replied Raiko, effortlessly holding Moegi up as she kicked and tried pulling his fingers from her neck. "But from the looks of her she's nothing but a weak little genin."

"So what will you do?" asked Tonbo. "Girls like her have a knack for causing trouble."

"She's so darn cute…" mused Raiko as he looked upon her rosy cheeks. "It just kills me to do this, but…" Moegi's face began to turn blue, and she stared with horror into Raiko's eyes, which now seemed to be looking past her.

"But what?" implored Tonbo, but before he could get an answer a boy stepped into the street a few yards away from Raiko, the boy's glasses glinting in the sunlight.

"Oh?" asked Raiko to the boy.

"U..U..don!" stammered Moegi with all the breath she could muster. The boy then began weaving signs with unusual mastery and precision.

"You will not hurt my friend!" growled Udon, his hands moving at an unbelievable speed. "I will destroy you if you do!"

"Call me crazy, but you remind me of that Nine-Tail brat I fought a few days ago," laughed Raiko. "He was a fair foe. You on the other hand…you're just a kid."

"I'm not going to warn you again!" shouted Udon, his hands still flying around in a blizzard of signs. "Let Moegi go!"

"Fine then," said Raiko plainly, and he threw Moegi at a wall across the street, where she crashed hard into it, leaving a deep cracked imprint then falling limply to the ground.

"Moegi!" cried out Udon, but Moegi did not reply.

"You challenged me, so you will fight with me," said Raiko in an eerily serious tone. "Now, let's begin." Udon suddenly felt weak, and his hands began to slip – a fact that did not escape Raiko's eyes.

"I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but you are taking far too long," stated Raiko, now weaving signs of his own. "But if it is to be Ninjutsu, then I can play too. Ninpo: raitesaki!" (Ninja art: lightning fingers) Raiko held out his right hand, his fingers outstretched, and with a crackle a bolt of lightning shot out of each finger, four in all. Udon leaped backwards a few feet just as the bolts zapped into the ground, his hands still weaving signs as though nothing had happened.

"He's a spry one, isn't he?" asked Tonbo with an amused tone.

"Weaving signs can't beat me!" laughed Raiko, shooting out another volley at Udon, who again deftly dodged them. "Don't they teach you anything in ninja school? Is Konoha really this pacified?!"

"When Pain attacked, most the good ninja were killed," suggested Tonbo. "It's only natural they would be left with the weak and useless ninja, the kind that would flee from such a deadly foe."

"What a pitiful village…" muttered Raiko. At that moment, Udon's final sign was set, but not long before Raiko sent out another barrage of lightning bolts from his hand. Udon, however, did not get out of the way, and almost instantly his body disappeared as the radiant bolts turned his body into ashes.

"Was that supposed to happen?" asked Tonbo, but Raiko did not reply. Disintegration was not a result of that technique; at most the boy should have been killed with burn marks across his body.

"To be destroyed like that…" muttered Raiko, his eyes growing wider with each moment. "It can only be a…" Before he could finish the pile of ashes vanished with a puff of smoke, and Raiko instantly knew this little boy had tricked him.

"Shadow clone?" asked Tonbo. "He's pretty good then…"

"He's just a kid…" grumbled Raiko as he looked from side to side and up to the rooftops. "For all I know he was just stalling to save his girlfriend here-…" Raiko suddenly stopped as he saw Udon again standing before them in the street, only now he was not weaving any signs. Rather, he stood somewhat lazily, his hands in his pockets and a bored look upon his face.

"What the…? asked Tonbo. The other ring ninja started mumbling in similar tones; the entire group seemed to be temporarily mesmerized by the sudden change in Udon's comportment.

"You…you're a punk…" muttered Raiko as he lifted his hand again. "Raitesaki!" As Raiko said these words, however, nothing happened – no sound, no light, nothing.

"You really should have been nice to Moegi," said Udon boorishly. "I told you, but did you listen? No."

"What is this?!" gasped Raiko. It didn't seem right to him; how could this kid, this punk little kid…how could he have this much power, power enough to stop his flow of chakra?

"Anyway, didn't you stop to think?" continued Udon in his monotone voice. "With that many hand signs, I had to be preparing something big? Well, I was, and it is big." Tonbo and the other ring ninja began to worry; they too now noticed the seeming lock on their chakra.

"I can still kill you with my bare fists!" growled Raiko, now walking quickly towards Udon, who stood in the same lackadaisical position and enraging Raiko even more. Suddenly, however, Raiko stopped.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" said Udon. Raiko looked down with shock as he found himself standing in a large puddle of sticky orange goo. "You can't get out now. My enshoku yumemiru hasn't failed yet." (Orange dream)

"Yumemiru?" gasped Raiko as his ankles, followed by his knees, disappeared into the goo. "This…this is genjutsu! You little prick! Release!"

Raiko opened his eyes only to find his entire party unconscious on the ground around him. He then stood up, Udon now standing a few feet away with a horrified look in his eyes.

"Uh…um…" he stammered as he slowly inched backwards away from Raiko exuding rage.

"You little punk…pulling that crap on me…" growled Raiko. "I've decided not to zap you with lightning; no, I'm going to cut your punk head off!" Raiko pulled out a kunai and rushed towards Udon, who now held a kunai in his trembling hands. Raiko's attack came quickly; with a clang of steel Udon's kunai was sent flying and with a firm punch in the gut from Raiko he flew backwards, falling onto his back gasping for breath. A shadow fell over him as Raiko looked down from above, rage listing like sparks of electricity in his eyes.

"You…" growled the white-haired ninja. "You are dead…" Raiko raised the kunai, and Udon closed his eyes tightly as his doom approached. What happened then was a surprise, however, as another voice interrupted them.

"Picking on children now, are we?" asked Kakashi Hatake from just a few feet away, Shizune, Chouji, Ino, Sai, and Konohamaru all standing behind him, weapons in hand and ready for battle.

**New for Wednesday, January 14, 2009: STRUGGLE OF THE SAND – HELP ARRIVES**

**BONUS!** Not really much to say today, other than GO UTES! WOOO!


	27. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER 26: STRUGGLE OF THE SAND – HELP ARRIVES**

"Ningyo geki: seikyobiju!" shouted Kankuro (puppet show: tail of doom). The red-haired Chizome raised one eyebrow as he looked lazily upon Kitsune, Kankuro a few feet behind wiggling his fingers in manipulation of the chakra strings. Opposite the crater stood Temari with a worried look upon her face, while her brother the Kazekage Gaara gazed onward emotionlessly.

"That technique isn't finished yet…" said Temari concernedly. "If he does anything wrong at all, he's doomed!"

"The puppet show has already started," observed Gaara monotonously. "There's nothing more we can do but wait; it's far too dangerous for either of us to try and get in his way now, not with that technique." Beyond them, the fox puppet Kitsune's tail shimmered in the sunlight as the rays reflected off the shiny blades, these never having been tainted with blood.

"Hmph…" grunted Chizome with a smile. "That's a cute little puppet you got there, what with its sharp tail and adorable eyes."

"You are really annoying…" muttered Kankuro from beneath his feline-inspired hat. "Therefore I will begin and end this here. Tobarichi! Shippo insei!" (First act: meteor tail) With a blur of speed Kitsune leaped into the air high above Chizome, its tail outstretched with the blades extending out an additional foot beyond their original length.

"You forget quickly…" said Chizome with a grin as he held out his hands. "I am a magnetics user. Things like this are usele-…" Chizome stopped speaking suddenly as his eyes grew wide with concern. No matter how he moved or waved his hands, his actions seemed to have no effect on the now rapidly descending puppet.

"Idiot…" mumbled Kankuro as he watched Chizome fumble around. "It's no use; these blades aren't made from steel – they're aluminum."

"What?!" gasped Chizome. Fractions of a second now separated him and the puppet, which now flipped in midair. The puppet then flung its tail at Chizome, splitting and shattering the earth and shaking the ground with a mighty quaking. A wave of force and dust shot across the ground from the point of impact in all directions, and Temari and Gaara shielded their eyes from the blast.

"He really overdid that," said Temari after a moment. The dust then began to settle revealing three figures just as before. Kankuro looked onward in shock; Chizome stood inches away from the firmly embedded tail of Kitsune, not even a single blade having touched his body. Chizome gave a yawn and stretched his arms.

"What?!" shouted Kankuro. "How did you avoid that?!"

"Seems like you have some iron screws inside the puppet…" said Chizome through the yawn. "I'm pretty lucky; they were so small I couldn't sense them till he got close, but once I found them I was able to push the puppet to the side. But honestly, it was impressive." Chizome stopped and stretched his neck from side to side.

"This guy…" muttered Kankuro. "Tobarini! Karumaakuma!" (Second act: demon wheel) Chizome faked a look of surprise as Kitsune got to it feet, its eerie yellow eyes staring the blood ninja down.

"There's more?!" gasped Chizome with delight. "Yay!"

"Just shut up already!" growled Kankuro. "Go, Kitsune!" The puppet then hopped backwards, its tail sticking straight down thus balancing the puppet vertically. Kitsune then immediately began to rotate like a Ferris wheel, tearing the ground beneath apart. Its speed increased, making it seem like a whirling discus, and with a roar of shattered earth it flew across the ground at Chizome.

"Nice!" called out the blood ninja as he jumped to the side out of the way. The disc passed him by, but suddenly whipped around and came at him again, forcing him again to dodge the puppet. "Oh oh oh! Sweet!"

"I would so rather face Sasori again than you," said Kankuro with an annoyed tone. "He at least was quiet while he fought."

"Oh, that's mean!" laughed Chizome, again jumping out of the way of the thrashing disc. "But I like your style! It's very good!" Again and again the disc flew past Chizome, he seemingly having no troubles whatsoever avoiding the high-speed attack, and after a few moments Kankuro had had enough.

"That's it!" shouted the puppeteer. "You're really starting to irritate me!"

"No, Kankuro!" called out Temari from across the crater. "Don't do it! You'll…" she wanted to finish, but Kankuro ignored and interrupted her.

"Tobariinbo! Maiodoro kistune!" (Final act: fox dance)

Kankuro's hand began flailing around wildly as the fox puppet pranced weightlessly across the broken streets and rubble, its movements erratic and quick.

"Puppet master, you are truly amazing!" called out Chizome with peculiar glee. "Just watching this creation of yours fills my heart and soul with awe and respect for your talents! I am ashamed to have insulted you before…" Faster and faster the fox danced across the area, its movements becoming more and more erratic, and at this point Chizome closed his eyes and raised his arms into the air.

"This isn't right…" muttered Temari from across the crater. "That guy...he's…"

"This is over…" growled Kankuro. With a quick flick of his wrist he clenched the fist of his left hand, and the fox puppet shot like a rocket across the ground. Chizome, however, made no movement whatsoever.

"What the…?" asked Temari slowly. Chizome held still as Kitsune made its approach, and with the tinny report of metal cutting through bone a blade from its tail sank into Chizome's chest, piercing him completely and exiting his back. Blood dripped off the blade in slow droplets, and after a brief moment Chizome's arms dropped and his head fell limp. Kankuro relaxed his hands and Kitsune retracted the blade, allowing Chizome's body to fall lifelessly to the ground, and with a brief set of hand signs the fox puppet vanished with a puff of smoke.

"Kankuro! You did it!" cried out Temari excitedly, and without hesitation she leaped across the crater and joined her brother. Kankuro, on the other hand, stared on at Chizome's body with a quizzical and dubious look upon his face.

"That guy…" he muttered softly. "He was a head case for sure…practically committing suicide…"

"Well, we're done here," said Temari, turning to again join Gaara, who still stood emotionlessly with his arms folded across the crater. "Let's go."

"Yeah…" said Kankuro as both he and Temari began to walk away. "You're right…wait! What in the-…?!" Both siblings stopped suddenly, their eyes wide in shock. Strange pangs of sharp pain seared across their shins as though sharp wires were being dragged across them, and as the two looked down through this acute pain their hearts erupted in fear. Wrapped around each of their legs was what appeared to be faint red strings, approaching from behind and circling their shins, small tears and cuts where the thread had contacted their skin.

"N-no way?!" gasped Kankuro, and from behind they heard Chizome's sinister laugh.

"Old joke, new twist. Gyah ha ha ha!" said Chizome with a malice-ridden voice. "I got the Raikage with something similar, albeit more impressive…and painful…"

"H-how did you…?!" started Temari in a trembling voice.

"Tisk tisk…" mocked Chizome. "No secrets for the loser children. Now, since I've beaten you two, let's be quiet now so that the Kazekage can provide me a true challenge. Don't worry, though – I'll deal with you two personally after I'm done." Without warning Chizome appeared behind the two sand ninja, they being unable to move do to the red threads now wrapped around their legs and climbing and winding around their bodies, and with two distinct blows to the back of their heads Temari and Kankuro fell unconscious to the ground where a floating plane of sand caught their fall.

"Ah, the sand again…" muttered Chizome as the plane of sand levitated and carried the two unconscious siblings across the crater where Gaara stood, his hands now unfolded and a scowl upon his face. His pale, blank blue eyes peered intently across at Chizome; though he showed the signs of having his chest pierced, Chizome's clothing showed very little in the way of blood stains, almost as though he had merely been cut by Kitsune's tail, not fully impaled. Gaara then likewise drifted across the crater upon a plane of sand, and softly he touched down upon the ground several yards away from Chizome.

"Chizome…" said Gaara slowly. "It is my turn now…" Sand slowly began to rise up from the ground all around them, and Chizome's expression turned from elated to overwhelmingly ecstatic.

"Yes!!!" he cried out, pumping his fists triumphantly.

"Be silent…" said Gaara slowly and softly. Then sand began to increase in concentration in the air around them, and Chizome gave an indignant huff.

"You can't tell me what to do," retorted the blood ninja scoffingly. "You're just a kid anyway. I'm a grown up ninja, a real warrior!"

"I'm starting to agree with Kankuro…" replied the Kazekage. "Just shut up already and die…" Gaara suddenly threw his arm forward, sending several streams of sand flying at his opponent.

"Ho ho!!" laughed Chizome, and with that he leaped back several yards, the streams following his every move, no matter how acrobatic his flips and dives. "I can see why Deidara-sensei had such a difficult time with you, Gaara-sama; you're control of the sand is indeed legendary, even without that One-Tail inside you. But you cannot defeat me…in fact, you've already lost! Woo hoo hoo!"

Gaara's sand streams sailed like arrows, their vectors seemingly independent of gravity and forcing Chizome high into the air at times. His ability to leap and dodge impressed Gaara; it was as though his body were allowing him to move in ways previously thought possible, including leaps of at least twenty vertical feet. However it was as Gaara thus observed that the Kazekage made the realization that his siblings had overlooked, all the while Chizome deftly avoiding each stream with ease.

"I see it now…" muttered Gaara as the streams continued to fly about. "You're not only a magnetics user, but you are a highly skilled medical ninja as well. That's impressive."

"That's right!" cried out Chizome emphatically. "You are so much smarter than the cute girl and the cat kid!"

"Do you get more annoying as time goes on?" grumbled Gaara. Suddenly the streams of sand vanished, their particles falling softly to ground, leaving Chizome and Gaara facing each other a dozen yards apart.

"What, that's it?" asked Chizome glumly. "But it was just starting to get fun!"

"That jutsu would have little to no effect upon you…" said Gaara. "It is a futile waste of chakra to keep it up."

"Wait…you're not giving up on me are you?" asked Chizome. "But Gaara-san, I can change! Oh…wait…hold on a second." Gaara looked onward somewhat quizzically as Chizome started fumbling around his clothing as though looking for some random object, his fingers making strange shapes as he probed around.

"What are you doing?" asked Gaara softly.

"I know it's here somewhere…hold on, please," responded Chizome, and he continued to fidget and search.

"You are a powerful foe, but you are an idiot…" said Gaara, and with that he held up his right hand, the palm extended. Sand began rapidly pooling at Chizome's feet, and Chizome raised his hand up triumphantly, a kunai in his fingers and a huge smile upon his face.

"I found it!" he cried out triumphantly. "Yes!" To Gaara's complete wonder and mild horror, Chizome then slashed his wrists, seemingly unaware of the piling sand beneath him. Blood poured out of his wounds and onto the sand below, and an unusually erotic look flashed across his visage.

"Suicide?" asked Gaara. "Strange, but it doesn't matter now. Sand coffin!" Chizome's entire body became immersed in several inches of sand all around, looking like a light brown cocoon. Gaara then raised his hand slightly, causing the cocoon to float up until hovering about ten feet from the ground. Gaara, the cocoon, and the entire surroundings were then silent aside from some rumblings coming from the distance, and the Kazekage clenched his fist tightly and finished the jutsu.

"Sand burial!"

The cocoon of sand covering Chizome crackled with pressure, and bits and clumps of sand shot off in various directions from the force of the crushing technique. Despite this seemingly telling sign of internal death, Gaara scowled intently at the cocoon. Something did not feel right, as though the sands in the center were being ripped away from his grasp…

Suddenly a multitude of red streams sprang from the cocoon like a high-pressure leak, and with a burst of sand and blood the cocoon flew apart. Landing upon the ground below stood Chizome, the blood pouring and churning in the air out from his wrists like two great fountains. His eyes were ablaze as though burning with fire and his entire demeanor had changed from one of silly lightheartedness to pure and unadulterated evil and malevolence. One thing that persisted, however, was his sinister grin, and Gaara looked upon this seemingly metamorphosed foe.

"That actually kind of hurt…" growled Chizome, his red hair looking as though it actually was fire erupting from his head. "I've got to hand it to you; when Raikage cut off my head, it really hurt, but what you just did there…I thought I might not make it in time. You've done well, Kazekage-sama, but I'm afraid that my play-time is over. I have a village I need to destroy, and you are in the way, just like those other two. I will end this swiftly…"

_I can't do anything huge…_ thought Gaara as he stared wide-eyed at this imposing and intimidating foe. _I can't destroy the city any more than it already has been…he seems distracted enough though for that, though…_

"Ikanago!" called out Gaara (sand lance), interrupting Chizome. The sand beneath the blood ninja's feet began to collect and shot up like a katana's blade, but instead of aiming for Chizome, it came straight for Gaara, whose face lit up in shock. With a crunch the blade smashed into a quickly made sand shield as Gaara ducked and stepped back – but as he did so, he felt a sharp blade against the back of his neck.

"Tut tut…" said Chizome coldly and cruelly. "You're not getting away from me now, Kazekage-sama." Gaara felt for one of the few times in his life panic, and he tried to control the sand around him to attack Chizome – but nothing happened, as though the sand was ignoring him.

"That's right," continued Chizome. "Enough of my blood is mixed in with the sand that I my magnetics can counter your control over its shape. That's why your little sand sword didn't work, and that's why you can't attack me now. Gaara-sama, you have fought well, and I will never forget this battle, brief as though it may have been."

"No…" muttered Gaara beneath his breath, fear filling his pale blue eyes as sweat rolled down his temples. Chizome then leaned close to Gaara's ears and whispered.

"I told you Deidara-sensei was nothing compared to me…" said Chizome softly, glee seeping into his words. "Do not fear the death this blade will deal you; rather, think of it as a gift, a ticket out of this life that Kira always calls 'wretched'…" Chizome then pressed the blade harder against Gaara's skin, the pressure rapidly reaching the breaking point of the skin. It was at this moment that the Kazekage heard a second set of footsteps rapidly approaching, as well as a blur passing across the left corner of his field of vision.

With a forceful and powerful kick the kunai flew out of Chizome's hands, simultaneously knocking the blood ninja and Kazekage apart. Gaara quickly turned around only to see a familiar person in an ungodly green jumpsuit, his foot still extended almost vertically into the air. The figure then returned to a normal stance, holding his right hand up towards Chizome, almost as if beckoning him to come.

"Gaara-sama!" said Rock Lee with youthful enthusiasm. "The time to repay the debt has come. I will take care of this one!"

**New for Wednesday, 1/21/09: THE GREEN DREAM – NIGHTMARES OF THE PAST**

**BONUS!** No deviations in this chapter (in case you hadn't noticed…). I decided to do the full thing with Chizome and the Sand Siblings because, well, I'm totally out of it for some reason today . Blame it on school. That's what I do. Anyway, keep watching the skies!


	28. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER 27: THE GREEN DREAM – NIGHTMARES OF THE PAST**

Tsunade's eyes widened as Might Guy sailed into her field of vision towards the empath who seemed not to notice the impending strike. At the same time, however, Tsunade, despite the agonizing pain within her chest, panicked – she knew that if Guy connected with Itami, she and Yuriko would both suffer the same fate as he.

"Dynamic entry!" cried out Guy, his splendid foot hurtling towards Itami Noborou's head. "ACHOOOO!" Itami turned just in time to see Guy's attack, but to the surprise of all Itami did not duck as Ona had suggested, but rather leaned into Guy's foot as it collided with his head.

"Itami!" cried out Ona, but she was too late. Itami sailed through the air from the force of Guy's kick, and with a loud thump he landed upon the ground, stirring up the dust as he rolled. At the exact moment of Itami's landing, both Tsunade and Yuriko fell limply to the ground, leaving Guy, now standing in the midst of all involved, perplexed.

"Itami, you are so reckless…" muttered Ona after a moment, her red eyes radiating as she gazed upon Guy, his green jumpsuit, bobbed hair and flack jacket injuring every fashionable fiber in her soul.

"What have you done with the Hokage?!" growled Guy in a demanding tone. "Tell me now!"

"I did nothing, nor did Kurayami," replied Ona calmly, Kurayami giving a soft grunt behind her. "Believe it or not, YOU were the one who did this."

"What?!" gasped Guy, looking back at the unconscious Hokage and Mizukage beyond him, their bodies seemingly lifeless as they lay silently and still upon the street. Beyond them, Itami began to stir, and Guy gulped as he saw the man who took his dynamic entry stand up, shake the dust off his clothes, and turn around to face him.

"That was really painful!" called out Itami. "Strong enough to break my hold upon their bodies, but it seems I don't need it anymore – your kick was more than enough, coupled with their burning hearts."

"Burning hearts?" asked Guy inquisitively. "That doesn't sound like any jutsu I've ever heard of – I think you're making it up!" Guy pointed his finger scornfully at Itami and scowled as he said these words, causing Itami to chuckle lightly.

"You really are a character…" said Itami with a smile. "But now you've put yourself in an impossible situation. You are here alone, surrounded by the three of us. Your precious kages are incapacitated – surrender now, and we may permit you to live through the destruction of your village." Guy closed his eyes and smiled.

"I'm stronger than the Hokage," he said bluntly, causing the three strangers to do a quick double take. "If what you said is true, then you are already beaten – you cannot defeat me! Go ahead! Attack me from anywhere!"

"Very well," said Ona menacingly, her eyes glowing brightly as her stare grew wide. Guy suddenly stopped moving, his face wracked with fear.

"What an idiot…" mumbled Itami pitifully.

"You have fallen under my genjutsu so easily…" said Ona, now walking towards the immobilized Guy. "And here you said you were stronger than the Hokage! Ha!" Ona now stood right next to the trembling Guy, and she pulled out a long, strange-looking kunai. It wasn't made in the fashion that regular kunai were; its blade was longer than a foot, markings and symbols inscribed along the length of the blade, the symbol of the Mist Village inscribed upon the light wooden handle.

"Quit reveling and just kill him already," pleaded Itami. "He's nothing; the kages are a much better prize." Ona scowled for a moment at Itami, then looked back at Kurayami who gave an almost indistinct nod.

"Consider it done…" said Ona softly, and she thrust the kunai at Guy's chest. It was in this split second that Ona saw a smile upon Guy's face, but she being in the act of thrusting could do nothing about it.

"Gotcha!" cried out Guy, and with a powerful thrust his fist slammed into Ona's stomach, launching her far several yards away. "Genjutsu, no matter how sinister, has no effect on me! Not someone of my ability and strength! Ha ha!"

"But…how…?" stammered Ona as she struggled to get up, her arm cradling her stomach.  
"When you have trained and taken advantage of the power of youth like I have…" said Guy emotionally, tears streaming down his face for some reason as he looked up into the sky proudly. "You no longer have to look your enemy in the eyes while fighting them. My student Lee has learned this, and if I can teach this one lesson to all the ninja in this village my life will be complete!"

"He didn't look into your eyes…" said Itami plainly. "He faked being under your genjutsu…seriously Ona, that is the most foolish I have ever seen you act."

"F-forgive me…" said Ona softly, her voice cracking under the pain of Guy's strike.

"You stay out of this," continued Itami to Ona. "We will handle him. I do not look forward to informing Tetsuma of your failure." Kurayami glanced over at Itami as he said this, an angry glare in his eyes. Itami ignored this, rather pulling out a kunai while Kurayami's shadow began threading out in sharp spindles in the air surrounding him.

"I say again!" cried out Guy triumphantly. "Attack me from anywhere!" He held out his hand in a beckoning motion, and without hesitation Itami and Kurayami rushed towards him, and the battle began.

--

_Tsunade awoke to find herself in a dense forest. Darkness surrounded her, and rain pelted her body as she stood alone, trembling in the trees.  
_

"_Where am I?" she asked aloud, shivering in the cold. Suddenly four figures sped past, passing close to her skin though not touching her. As they passed, Tsunade followed them with her eyes; there were three men and one woman in the party, one of the men with handsome silver hair, the woman with long blonde hair and a curvy figure.  
_

"_This can't be…" gasped Tsunade, and she immediately began running after the party. Tsunade followed the four mysterious figures deeper and deeper into the woods, all the while the surroundings unsheathing bits and pieces of her memory, piecing them together into an image she had long tried to forget. Ahead of her, the four figures leaped off to the right into a meadow, and Tsunade reluctantly followed.  
_

_As she entered the meadow the fight had already begun, and the memory flooded her mind. She knew this place well, and would that she didn't have to relive this moment – the moment her love was taken from her. Ahead of her, her younger self and her old team had engaged the enemy ninja. One by one the enemies fell – all except for one, he being a handsome brown-haired ninja whose movements rivaled even the First Hokage's. Dan, her boyfriend, and her other two companions made short work of the enemy, but the brown-haired man remained, untouched and unscathed by any of their attacks. It was then that Tsunade saw it, and now having met Itami she understood what transpired before her. The young Tsunade, Dan, and their two companions fell immediately to their knees screaming in agony after Itami successfully touched each of them on their skin.  
_

"_Ninja of Konoha!" laughed the young Itami as his foes knelt screaming upon the ground. "You really shouldn't be out here – it's a war, after all. Ha ha ha!"  
_

"_S…stop…" stammered the young Tsunade, her eyes filled with tears of pain. "W…w…we su…surrend…er…"  
_

"_Surrender? To me?!" gasped Itami, the rain rolling down and dripping off the Hidden Rain forehead protector upon his head. "I'm but a mere mercenary in this war; you cannot surrender to me, since I hold no authority to take prisoners. However…"  
Tsunade watched blankly onward as Itami walked up to her younger self, knowing exactly what was about to happen but not being able to stop it.  
_

"_I will allow for three of you to live," continued Itami with a grin. "It is unfortunate that we met under these circumstances…you are such a beautiful woman – I could have easily fallen in love with you." Young Tsunade's eyes grew wide with horror as Itami looked back and forth between her, Dan, and the others, and to her complete terror he walked over to Dan, his face contorted in pain as he clutched his chest.  
_

"_N-no!" stammered Tsunade, but Itami would not heed her as he pulled out a katana from a sheath upon his back.  
_

"_This isn't personal…" said Itami emotionlessly to the trembling young Tsunade, and with a horrifying slash he cut through Dan's chest, spraying blood in all directions as Tsunade's love fell backwards onto his back, blood pouring out of his body like a mountain spring.  
_

"_DAN!" screamed the young Tsunade, but her pain was too great to move. Above, Itami resheathed his sword and began to walk away.  
_

"_War is a terrible thing, isn't it?" said Itami in a peculiar tone, almost sounding like a lighthearted laugh. "Before you know it, those dear to you are all taken away in the most cruel of ways. But that's how it is, I guess. See you later." Itami vanished from their sight, and as soon as he had disappeared the pain disappeared, and young Tsunade and her two companions rushed to Dan's side, picking him up and pulling him into the trees for some shelter from the elements.  
_

_Tsunade, however, did not follow her younger self, instead standing still in the rainy meadow, her eyes filled with tears and her entire body trembling. Behind her she could hear her own sobbing, and after a few moments a scream rang out across the scene, and Tsunade knew at once that Dan had just died, being taken away from her in the cruelest of ways. After all, had Itami not felt some sort of attraction to her, perhaps it would be her instead that had died and not Dan. But the past had been set, and there was no way to undo it. Tsunade closed her eyes and began to weep, and slowly her surroundings began to change as she found herself standing in the street of Konoha where Itami, Ona, and Kurayami looked greedily upon her and Yuriko's bodies, congratulating themselves on taking out two of the great kages.  
_

_As she looked upon Itami, something inside her began to resonate. Anger, pure malevolence, and undeniable resolve swarmed her body; this man, this monster who took away her love and ruined her life for so many years – this man was now before her again, and she was behaving again like the weak little girl she once was. She could not let this happen again – she would not let this happen again, not to her, not to Yuriko, not to anyone else in her village._

--

Tsunade opened her eyes. Above her, Guy was parrying all of Itami and Kurayami's attacks with ease, but as she watched further while regaining lucidity it became clear that Guy would not be able to fend them off for much longer. It appeared that he had already released at least one of the Eight Inner Gates, but even so Kurayami's shadows and Itami's masterful attacks provided more than enough fodder to resist Guy's unbelievable power.

Tsunade forced her head to turn, and she saw Yuriko still unconscious upon the ground, and to her surprise it seemed that Itami and Kurayami still hadn't noticed that she was awake. Tsunade then slowly began to get up, her chest no longer burning as before, but her head aching from the pain transferred from Guy's attack. Beyond, an explosion of dirt and dust flared up from the ground as Guy missed what would have been a fatal kick, his target Itami having just barely evaded.

_Keep him occupied…_ thought Tsunade as she slowly got up and began sauntering over towards the fight. _Keep him busy; don't let him see me coming…_

"Gate of life! Open!" shouted out Guy as he finally got an opening from the near-constant onslaught of attacks. His skin turned red, and the color left his eyes, the chakra flowing with such ferocity out of his body that the materials on the ground around him began whipping about as though in a tornado.

"What is this?" asked Itami. "Looks like this one can control the inner gates, Kurayami! Watch yourself – those fists carry a mighty punch with them!" Guy tore across the ground at Itami, vanishing for a moment before appearing just below Itami's chin.

"Leaf Youthful Dance!" cried out Guy, and his leg shot up towards Itami's face. Before it could connect, however, and shadowy strand wrapped around his leg and pulled Guy back, the inertia of his attempted kick carrying dust and debris into Itami's body. Kurayami then swung the shadow, slamming Guy hard into the ground with a climactic crash. As the dust settled, Guy's motionless body became visible as he lay unconscious in the small crater.

_Damn it!_ cursed Tsunade in her mind as she saw Guy's defeat. _That shadow user is unbelievable…just a little further…_

"Cutting it a little close there, aren't you?!" growled Itami. Kurayami didn't respond, but instead stared intensely at Itami. "What? You don't like how I'm talking, is it? Just because we as a group have never once had an argument doesn't mean that you can glare at me like that Kura!"

"Hmph…" grunted Kurayami as he continued to stare at Itami, his scowl unceasing, and as Itami looked closer he began to see that Kurayami was not looking at him, but rather just past his ear.

"Kura, what are you…" asked Itami as he turned around, but stopped as he saw Tsunade behind him, ferocity strewn across her entire body.

"This isn't personal…" she said softly, and she swung her fist at Itami's face. Sounds of cracking bones immediately echoed around the street, and Itami flew off like an arrow, blood flying through the air as Tsunade's legendary taijutsu tore his skin. Forty yards away he landed, rolling another ten, and Tsunade knew it was over as she stood breathing heavily, staring Itami's now lifeless body down as though trying to intimidate the dead. Behind, Yuriko moaned as he came to, and slowly he too began to stand up.

"Ts-Tsunade?" he asked, his mind still cloudy from Itami's technique. Tsunade did not turn, however; rather, she turned her gaze to Kurayami and Ona, the latter now standing behind her bald, heavily tattooed leader.

"You didn't bother stopping me…why?" asked Tsunade to Kurayami. "What makes me so much more special than Guy?"

"He was pissing me off…" grumbled Kurayami slowly in a low, deep voice. Ona's eyes widened in shock as she, for the first time ever, heard Kurayami's voice.

"Kura…y-you spoke?!" she stammered, but Kurayami ignored her, his attention fully focused on Tsunade and Yuriko.

"Itami's loss will have little effect on Master Tetsuma's plans…" continued Kurayami. "He lost control over his emotions – and for that he had already lost this battle."

"Is that so?" asked Tsunade, but with those words she lurched over in pain, her entire body burning. She knew what was happening; the power of Itami's technique had drained her over nearly all her energy, and her punch used up the little reserves she had left. Her limit had been reached, and there was nothing more she could to fight.

"Your limit has been reached it would seem…" observed Ona, her eyes stained red from weeping over Itami's insults. Behind Tsunade, Yuriko too began to feel the pains as his limit too was reached, upon observing Kurayami gave a small grunt.

"Ona…" he said softly. "These two are done fighting – let's finish up and move on."

"Why don't you handle it then," said Ona curtly. "You have long-range attacks, and last time I thought things were over it didn't end well."

"Indeed…" grumbled Kurayami, and with that two distinct shadowy needles shot out from his own shadow towards the beleaguered kages. The two shadows stopped just at the kages' ankles, however, and there they remained.

"Kura?" asked Ona. "What's wrong-…?" Ona turned to face Kurayami, only to see his face contorted as though he were struggling with some invisible force, and then she saw it – a third shadow, extending from Kurayami's back and up the walls of a nearby building, where atop stood a young ninja, his hair tied into a bushy ponytail, his fingers set in the sign of ram.

"Sakura, Tenten…" said Shikamaru Nara. Suddenly Kanmokin the smaller Great Osprey appeared in the air behind him, Sakura and Tenten both riding upon his back, and like a rocket they sailed down to the street, gathering Tsunade, Yuriko, and Guy all in less than a second, then flying back up to the rooftop.

"Shikamaru," said Tenten. "What's the plan?"

"You two take that lady," he replied. "I always have to fight a girl, but not this time. I'll take care of this shadow user. Kanmokin, take the Kages and Guy-sensei somewhere safe."

"Yes," replied the Osprey, and he flew off with the injured leaving Sakura, Tenten, and Shikamaru alone with Ona and Kurayami, the latter still not able to move.

"This should be interesting…" observed Ona with a smile. "Kura, I'll draw them away and let you deal with this new kid." Ona then ran off down the street, and within a second was gone.

"Go!" commanded Shikamaru, and Sakura and Tenten leaped off in Ona's direction.

[b]New for Sunday, 2/1/2009: FANG OVER FANG! INUZUKA VERSUS SHIROKUMA!

BONUS![b] Sorry for the delay in the chapter release. I have been having quite a few health issues lately, and they're finally starting to clear up. If you really, REALLY want to know what they are, seek me out and I will tell you. Otherwise, let it suffice that I wouldn't wish upon my enemies the pain I had to endure.


	29. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER 28: CLASH OF THE HYUGA**

_Gumbycan – sorry dude, but its time for more Byakugan stuff. And no, it isn't enough already._

"Eight Trigrams! Sixty-four palms!" cried out Neji, and in a flash he shot at Tetsuma as the latter turned. Neji's hands landed with a surgeon's precision on Tetsuma's chest, dealing two blows of chakra through the Gentle Fist technique. "Two palms!" Karasu looked on with horror as her lover received blow after blow, Neji's chakra passing through him as though it were piercing through his body.

"No!" she shrieked, but it was already too late.

"Four palms!" continued Neji. "Eight palms! Sixteen Palms! Thirty-two palms! Sixty-four palms!" The final strike sent Tetsuma flying back limply, the pulse of chakra seemingly knocking him out, and he rolled to stop upon the grass of the Hyuga household. Above, Neji remained in the position of the final blow, blue chakra wisping away from his fingers as he breathed heavily, looking on at Tetsuma's body with heavy breaths. Surely enough, it was over; chakra was no longer flowing through Tetsuma's body.

"You bastard!" cried Karasu, rage filling her voice. "I will kill you for what you've done!" Neji turned to face her, his Byakugan still active and pure anger across his visage.

"You are within my Eight Trigrams…" he said softly as Karasu began to advance towards him, knife in hand. "Say good-bye to this world. Sixty-four pa-…!" Neji sailed across the yard sideways from his stance, landing hard in the pond. In his place was a fist, this belonging to the same man he thought he had just finished.

"You foolish Hyuga and your weak moves…" growled Tetsuma, seemingly without a scratch nor injury, the Ikemasen Byakugan radiating in his eyes.. "It is misplaced pride; we are the most powerful of all the clans, but with silly techniques like 'Sixty-Four Palms' one can hardly expect us to rise to our potential."

"How…how did you…?" gasped Neji as he struggled to stand in the water, blood seeping down his temples from Tetsuma's strike.

"Are you still not aware of what these eyes are?" asked Tetsuma. "Do you not know of the Ikemasen Byakugan?"

"But…I saw it…" stammered Neji as he now stood in the water. "You're chakra…it was gone…"

"Seems I injured your brain there, sorry…" laughed Tetsuma. "The Ikemasen allows me to see what you see, to think what you think. It gives me access into your most secure thoughts, and even allows me to change them. You thought you hit my chakra points, and right well you should have. However, by moving ever so slightly you missed my chakra points, dealing my body nothing more than a few bumps, and I put forth the illusion to your mind that my chakra points had been closed." Tetsuma smiled with an evil smile at Neji, who now stood completely dumbfounded. His Byakugan vanished, and he stumbled back and again fell into the water. His vision suddenly became dark, and his body began to tremble.

"G-genjutsu?!" he gasped. "What is this?"

"I've learned a great deal since battling with young Hinata-chan," continued the voice of Tetsuma. "My Ikemasen techniques unwittingly unlocked her own, ultimately leading to my defeat. I cannot let that happen again."

_Hinata defeated this guy already?_ thought Neji. _But how?_

"To have the audacity to use Sixty-Four Palms on me…" muttered Tetsuma, his voice becoming crueler and crueler. "That earned you a particularly poignant punishment. Ikemasen no jutsu! Shinseidanpen!" (Forbidden Technique: Mind Shred)

A dreadful cacophony blazed in Neji's mind, filling the darkness with unending noise and tumult. A silent scream left his lips, and Neji fell to his knees, his face still screwed up in agony. The horrific sounds echoed across his thoughts and memories, tearing them away and shredding them like paper before his mind's eye. Within mere moments Neji could not string two thoughts together, and as such he sat dumbly upon the ground, still in darkness, but now so overwhelmed by Tetsuma's genjutsu that he could not even move a muscle.

"Poor Neji-san…" said Tetsuma softly. "Poor princely Neji…always treated so well by the clan, even for being of the Branch like me. You've grown up never knowing of the grand history of our people, the forgotten past – the past your father and his family never wanted revealed to the youth. But to you, Neji-san, I'm willing to make an exception." Neji sat motionlessly on his knees in the water, his mouth hanging open, his eyes staring blankly off into the sky. No reply came from his mouth, not even any sign of acknowledgment; he was listening, however, listening intently, and Tetsuma knew this.

"Tetsuma…" interrupted Karasu. "We need to hurry and join the others. We've taken too much time here as it is…"

"Karasu, you should leave…" said Tetsuma plainly, his face still turned away from his lover. "Go find and assist Raiko, and leave the Hyuga to me."

"But…" started Karasu, but she quickly heeded her lover's command. "Yes, my love." With that, Karasu vanished, leaving Tetsuma alone with Neji, Hanabi, and Hiashi, all three now completely incapacitated.

"Now then, young Neji-san," started Tetsuma after Karasu had left. "I'm going to give you an opportunity, just as I gave your cousins. But first, I need to show you something so that you might understand…"

_In Neji's enfeebled mind flashed millions of images, each passing by too quickly to be recognized, but after a moment they began to slow, and Neji soon found himself standing in the street outside Tetsuma's home in Konoha, not far from his own. The day was sunny and calm, but from inside the house came an angry clamor of old and young voices, and with a crash the double doors burst open, slamming against the walls. A young boy of no more than twelve years of age ran out into the street, his eyes tainted red with tears and anger, and standing in the doorway was an older man.  
_

"_Tetsuma!" shouted the older man. "This is not the way of the Hyuga! If you don't stop thinking this way, you will not be able to avoid the consequences!"  
_

"_I don't care!" shouted the young Tetsuma through his tears, and with that he began to run away down the street. Neji's eyes followed the boy and heard his thoughts as he tore through the alleyways and sidewalks, weeping bitterly as he went.  
_

_**Even Father doesn't understand…**__ thought Tetsuma. __**Of all people, I thought he would surely…**__ Tetsuma suddenly ran into another boy bearing a red and white symbol on his back, knocking both of the forward and to the ground with his momentum.  
_

"_I-I'm sorry Itachi-san!" stammered Tetsuma as he helped the Uchiha boy up.  
_

"_Tetsuma…" said the dark-haired, fourteen year-old Itachi as he dusted off his shirt. "What's the matter? You look terrible."  
_

"_I-I h-had a f-fight with m-my dad…" stuttered Tetsuma as he continued to weep.  
_

"_Oh? What about?" Tetsuma looked up into Itachi's smiling face and soft, dark eyes; he had always been a support to Tetsuma, and always seemed to be there for him no matter the crisis. As such Tetsuma secretly idolized Itachi, and, like Sasuke Uchiha, always strove to be more like him. With this came a sense of trust; Tetsuma felt that there was nothing he couldn't tell Itachi, and since Itachi always held true to his word, Tetsuma had no hesitation saying exactly what was on his mind.  
_

"_I…" started Tetsuma, taking a break to sniff. "I was reading some of the writings from the ancient Hyuga clan, and…" Tetsuma stopped suddenly as he looked up at Itachi, whose face changed from a smile to a look of concern.  
_

"_You know what…" started Itachi. "If it involves your __ancestors__, then we shouldn't speak of this here. Come on, I know a place where we can go." Itachi turned and began walking down the street, and Tetsuma immediately began to follow. Further and further they walked, delving deeper into Konoha, and as they neared the Kage's Cliff Tetsuma knew exactly where they were headed.  
_

"_Wait, Itachi-nii san…" said Tetsuma as he stopped. "I don't want to go see him about this." Ahead, Itachi likewise stopped and turned.  
_

"_Tetsuma-san," said Itachi softly. "The Third Hokage is your friend, and he can be trusted even more than me. Besides, who better to ask about this problem of yours?"  
_

"_But Itachi… I…" started Tetsuma, looking down at the ground. "What if he tells my dad?"  
_

"_He won't, I promise," replied Itachi shortly, and with that he continued walking towards the large red building wherein the Hokage lived. "Come on, Tetsuma."  
_

"_Y-yes…" replied Tetsuma hesitantly, and he quickly ran after and caught up with Itachi. __**He's going to say the same thing as Father…**__  
_

_A little later Neji found himself in the Hokage's office with Itachi and Tetsuma. All three sat in silence upon the ground as the Hokage smoked from his pipe, breathing slowly and deliberately beneath his red and white kage's hat.  
_

"_What is it that troubles you, young Tetsuma?" asked the Third. "Itachi Uchiha here tells me you were running wildly through the street crying after a fight with your father."  
_

"_Well, yeah…" said Tetsuma softly.  
_

"_What was the altercation about?" asked the Hokage. Tetsuma took a deep breath and paused with his eyes closed, and began to speak before opening them.  
_

"_I was reading the words of our ancestors, the ancients of the Hyuga clan, and…" began Tetsuma, and he opened his to see the Hokage stroking his chin as he listened. "They said that the Hyuga were destined to be the kings of men, but all I see is just another family, nothing more. I'm wondering why we aren't in charge of things?" The Hokage didn't immediately respond, rather he closed his eyes and put down his pipe.  
_

"_The world back then was a different place than it is now, young Tetsuma," said the Hokage softly. "Peace was hardly known, and many clans that now exist happily one with another were sworn and bitter enemies. The Hyuga were not always as they are now, you see. When that was written, your ancestors sought to enslave all other clans, but after time that selfish thought has been usurped by desires for peace and coexistence."  
_

"_But what about fate?" asked Tetsuma, his voice sounding somewhat annoyed. "Fate governs all, and cannot be changed! According to them, the fate of the Hyuga clan-…"  
_

"_Tetsuma…" interrupted the Hokage, but in a soft, calm tone. "You are showing the true Hyuga spirit within you, but you must learn this truth: fate is not a rigid, set state of existence."  
_

"_What do you mean?" asked Tetsuma, his eyes still scowled. The Hokage then looked out the window, his eyes gazing off into the summer sky.  
_

"_Consider the river, young Tetsuma," replied the Hokage. "In our eyes it seems fixed, forever set to run the same course. Yet when one considers the ages, this river is a dynamic force, carving out its own niche in the world, forming great canyons and valleys, digging into the stone and rock in ways that men find it hard to imagine."  
_

"_I don't understand…" said Tetsuma after a moment. "The river cannot choose to move or dig…" The Hokage gave a kind chuckle.  
_

"_No it cannot," he replied with a smile. "But that doesn't mean it can do things beyond the scope of our imaginations."  
_

"_But…"  
_

"_Fate is what we make of it, young Tetsuma," continued the Hokage. "Your fate is in your hands, and no one else. Not the ancients', not your father's, not even mine. Consider, however, how the rejection of this notion of fate has led to more peaceable and happier times in the Hyuga family. Would it be so if your ancestors had acted out on their presupposed nobility?" Tetsuma sat silently for a moment, scowling as he looked at the ground, after which he nodded his head, said "thank you", and got up and left the room.  
_

_**He's wrong…fate cannot be changed…**__  
_

_The images in Neji's mind began to swirl, and he then found himself standing in cemetery with members of his own family, including a much younger version of himself. Tetsuma, now fourteen years old, stood at the foot of two graves with Hiashi, Neji's uncle and Hinata's father.  
_

"_Father…mother…" whispered Tetsuma, tears running down his cheeks as he gazed upon the graves. "I won't let the Hyuga clan dwindle away…I will make us a proud clan once more…"  
_

"_What was that?" asked Hiashi, overhearing Tetsuma's dedication.  
_

"_Nothing, I was just talking to them…" replied Tetsuma is a still, quiet voice. Behind them, the members of the Hyuga clan began to leave the cemetery, ultimately leaving Hiashi and Tetsuma alone.  
_

"_Tetsuma," said Hiashi after a moment. "With your father and mother's passing, you are the lone representative from your side of the family. You should begin attending the clan __meetings__, as you now occupy an important position in our council in your father's place."  
_

"_Yeah…" replied Tetsuma softly, almost as if he hadn't heard a __single__ word spoken. Hiashi then put his hand on Tetsuma's shoulder, and Tetsuma, without thinking, burst into tears and buried his head into Hiashi's chest.  
_

_**Mom and dad's passing has given me this great opportunity…**__ thought Tetsuma. __**Just because they are gone doesn't mean they have left me. With their help, I will restore the Hyuga clan to its proper state…**__  
_

_Neji then saw the next year fly past in fleeting scenes and images; Tetsuma didn't miss a single meeting, gaining confidence after each and growing in popularity among the other members of the clan. However, after one year Tetsuma's restraint broke, lashing out at his fellow elders concerning the "restoration of the clan", resulting in his being pursued by many. Tetsuma fled from street to street before realizing he stood next to Hiashi's home, and before he knew it Hinata was running out to greet him.  
_

_**There she is…the girl who will lead our clan to ruin…**_

_Tetsuma put on a fake smile and walked away with her, but after a brief visit he vanished, leaping across rooftops and over the village walls, entering exile and forever cursing his soul, always to be a traitor. For weeks he fled, stealing away in shadows and staying off the roads; the Hyuga clan was pursuing him for great distances, but once he passed the borders of the Lightning Country they ceased, and Tetsuma began searching for a new life. It was as he thus traveled in the uninhabited southern end of the Lightning Country that he came across a man, a powerful, influential man named Dakatsu Tetsuwan.  
_

"_Come with me," said Dakatsu as he treated the young, scrawny Tetsuma, famished for food to a meal of fish and rice. "My home is far across the sea in the Land of Brine, and there you and I can become strong."  
_

"_But…" stammered Tetsuma as he wolfed down the food ravenously. "My home…the Brine Country is so far away!"  
_

"_If what you've told me is true about your clan…" replied Dakatsu solemnly. "Then if you should be found, captured, or even if you return of your own volition, they will not hesitate to arrest and execute you for treason."  
_

_Tetsuma's eyes widened in disbelief; even though he had grown up considerably in the last year, deep inside he was still a child. The thought of losing his home and his friends forever brought tears to his eyes, and Dakatsu put his hand on his shoulder just as Hiashi had done the year before.  
_

"_I will take care of you, young Tetsuma," he said softly. "You're skill and my brains will make us rich and powerful…and soon we will have all the comforts we could ever hope for. You'll see – it will be all right." Tetsuma's tears increased, and he, without thinking, buried his face into Dakatsu's chest as he continued to weep.  
_

_**Dakatsu was a better master than Hiashi ever was…however, his short-sightedness was his greatest weakness and ultimately his downfall…**_ Again Neji's mind became dark, and Tetsuma's voice again pierced through.

"Neji, this is my sad tale, but here you now have seen it…" said the voice of Tetsuma. "Surely you can see how fate truly exists, and how it has brought me back to restore the clan. Join with me, cousin, and help me give the clan what it rightly deserves: rule over all!" Neji's mind suddenly became aware, and little by little he felt his faculties returning. Within seconds his sight began to return, and a blur of light appeared before his eyes.

"N…no…" whispered Neji almost imperceptibly. "I….I…c-could…n…never…"

"You have strength within you, don't you?" observed Tetsuma as he felt Neji slipping from the Ikemasen's grasp. "But you are also foolish, just like Hiashi, Hanabi, Hinata…even all the Hyuga. How very disappointing…"

"You…are wrong…" stammered Neji, his voice becoming stronger. "F-fate is nothing…it's…what w-we make of it…"

"To see you, Neji, the most adherent to the principle of fate in our clan…" said Tetsuma disappointedly. "To see you reject the only truth in the universe…this is depressing. I guess fate truly is cruel – it is my fate to restore the clan, but it is the clan's fate to die. Unless they do, there can be no restoration." Tetsuma walked up to Neji, still kneeling in the pond, and placed his hands around his throat.

"T-Tetsuma nii-san!" gasped Neji, his sight finally returning just in time to see Tetsuma's face, his Ikemasen Byakugan eyes staring deeply into his own.

"For the clan's restoration…" said Tetsuma softly. "Prepare to be joined by the rest of our clan in the afterlife." Tetsuma began to squeeze, and Neji struggled for breath, but none would come.

"N-nii s-san…" gasped Neji in nothing more than a light whisper as he felt life fading away, but then something strange happened. Tetsuma's eyes scowled, and his grip lessened upon Neji's neck, upon which Neji felt his strength vanish. He then fell into the shallow pond, consciousness leaving him rapidly, but retaining lucidity long enough to hear other voices enter into the scene.

"You, get away from my friends," commanded a boy's voice from off to the left. Tetsuma turned to see three figures: a brown-haired man immediately recognizable as Akira Sugiyama, a huge orange toad, and a blonde-haired boy sitting on the toad's head. The boy donned a handsome black cloak with raging orange flames rising from the hem, his arms folded and his eyes closed.

"Akira…" said Tetsuma with a bored tone. "Who's your little friend with the big frog?"

"I am Naruto Uzumaki," replied the boy without hesitation. "And this is the end of you."

**Next chapter: KONOHA'S FURY**

**BONUS!** Okay, okay, so its been like forever since I've released a chapter. But I have my reasons. Also, you may have noticed that this chapter was not what I had previewed before. While writing the prior topic, I became disillusioned with my knowledge of the Inuzuka clan, and I decided to worry about that in the next chapter. Anyway, I hope you liked it and are looking forward to the next one! Kanko out!


	30. Chapter 29

**KONOHA'S FURY – THE HIDDEN LEAF VILLAGE'S HANDSOME DEVIL**

Wind whipped past the broken street and ruined buildings, shredded from the recent blast of Dakatsu's body turned bomb. A wisp and vortex of dust and debris took flight and sailed wildly through the air, passing towards and around the horrifying red-haired man, tall and dressed entirely in black, blood pouring out of his hands like geysers yet not staining or soaking his clothing. He stood motionlessly, his arms folded, his hair sticking up as though aflame, a frown set upon his rigid face, accentuating his already strong chin. Across the ruins of the Konoha street he gazed, his deep, crimson eyes glaring in a scowl at the newcomer dressed in green with bobbed hair and intense eyes.

"You are quite rude to interrupt the Kazekage's murder…" said the red-haired Chizome, the blood ninja of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers. "I certainly hope you have a good reason." Beyond, Rock Lee stood likewise motionless, his hand still outstretched in a beckoning fashion, his eyes hard and set on the dark one.

"Your sins this day are doubled," replied Lee almost poetically. "You have attacked my home, and you have tried to kill my friends."

"Friends, pfff!" mocked Chizome. "Friends? What are friends? You call losers like these Sand kids friends?"

"Gaara-sama saved my life…" said Lee softly. "And he and his siblings have served our village many times. How could I not see them as friends?"

"Who are you, anyway?" asked Chizome, his voice becoming somewhat angry. "You don't even try to speak to me with any respect." At these words Lee's eyes lit up and he smiled, his teeth sparkling and his outstretched hand changing instantly to a thumbs-up.

"I am Rock Lee!" he shouted triumphantly. "The greatest of all the ninja of Konoha, champion of Taijutsu, and the worlds only genius of hard work! Achoo!"

Chizome looked onward quizzically, his mouth slightly open, as he watched Lee's bizarre introduction. _Are you kidding me?_ thought the blood ninja. _This kid's even more messed up than I am!_

"Even Naruto respects my skill and strength!" continued Lee proudly, tears now welling up in his eyes. "And Neji, and Tenten, and…GUY SENSEI!" At this Lee burst into tears, his smile widening even further.

"You got some issues, kid…" said Chizome after a moment. "Kira always gave me trouble for my actions, but…good grief!"

"Do not mock the expression of youth!" growled Lee, his comportment suddenly changing from overjoyed to pure anger. "And do not think that you will escape your sins against those things I hold dear!"

"Lee…" muttered a voice from behind, that of Gaara. "Be careful…" Lee turned his head back to listen.

"What jutsu does he use?" asked Lee.

"Blood…" said Gaara softly and plainly. "As I am with sand, so is he with blood." Lee again turned to face Chizome, looking down with great concern at the geysers of blood seeping from his hands and onto the ground.

"Blood jutsu?" he asked. "I've never heard of 'blood jutsu' before."

"Oh it's all the rage among my organization!" replied Chizome brightly. "My master and my comrades all have a newfound respect for my techniques, as I'm sure the Kazekage behind you does too. After all, with it I defeated the Raikage AND the Sand Siblings with ease."

"What?!" gasped Lee. "Two kages?" Chizome grinned an evil grin as he began to chuckle in a cruel tone.

"Yes…two kages and two brats, soon to be three brats…"

Two red streams shot out of the ground beneath Lee's feet, hissing as they rose into the air, but Lee jumped back just in time to prevent from being touched.

"That was close!" exclaimed Lee as he dodged another pair of blood streams from the ground. "Gaara-sama! Get back!" The Kazekage heeded Lee's command and retreated.

"What a lame couple of countries the Fire and Wind are…" muttered Chizome as several more spears of blood shot out at the nimble Lee. "Sending kids to do the work of adults…" Lee moved further and further away from Chizome; every time he tried to move closer, a spear seemed to appear almost as if Chizome knew ahead of time what Lee's next move would be.

"I must say you are a formidable foe!" exclaimed Lee, now thirty yards away and heaving for breath. "You can read all my moves in an instant! Only Kimimaro has been able to do that with such skill!"

"Of all my enemies, none has talked so much as you," replied Chizome, ennui building up in his voice. "Act more like the sand kid and be quiet while I kill you!"

"I am sorry, but I cannot," said Lee solemnly, and with those words he broke into a tear towards Chizome – but only managed to gain a few yards until a spray of blood spears shot out of the ground in front of him, forcing him yet again to dodge backwards. As he dodged, the streams lost their shape, falling to the ground and splattering specks of crimson in all directions.

"What's wrong, are you afraid to use ninjutsu or genjutsu?" asked Chizome somewhat mockingly. "You only charge at me; use some techniques, kid. Maybe you'll stand a chance then!"

"It's not that I don't want to use them…" replied Lee, regaining his composure and his warrior stance. "It's that I can't use them. I am a champion of Taijutsu and Taijutsu alone – I have no other ninja techniques." Chizome stood dumbfounded, his face screwed up in mocking disbelief for one moment, then shifting into raucous and rude laughter.

"What?!" he laughed scornfully. "Konoha let a kid with no ninja techniques become a ninja? What is wrong with this place?! GYAH HA HA!"

_At my current speed I can't reach him…_ thought Lee as Chizome laughed. _I didn't think I would need to resort to the gates so soon, but as it is…_

"You are wrong to laugh," said Lee scoldingly. He then began to unwrap the bandages from his arms, letting them drape down to the ground. "First gate – OPEN!" In Lee's place appeared a cloud of dust, and like lightning he shot across the ground towards Chizome.

"Oh? You're a gate user?" mumbled the blood ninja.

"Take this!" shouted Lee as he shot towards his foe. "Primary Lotus!" Lee stopped just before Chizome, leaned down and kicked up with his foot – but felt nothing.

"Tisk, tisk…" said Chizome beratingly. Lee looked to see the blood ninja's face inches from his foot, but nevertheless free from any immediate danger.

"How did you…?" gasped Lee, but his vulnerability became exploited. Before Lee could avoid Chizome jetted his hand at Lee's chest, pelting him with a stream of blood and knocking him away into the air until he came to a crash several yards away.

"GYAH!!!" screamed Lee, now writhing in pain upon the ground, clutching his chest with his hands. "IT BURNS!"

"Ha!" laughed Chizome cruelly. "Isn't it a wonderful feeling, having your body digested from the outside?" Lee suddenly felt his body become heavier, the pain rapidly dispersing, and he looked down at his chest only to see it covered in sand.

"What the…?" Lee asked, but it soon became clear to him.

"I told you to be careful…" muttered Gaara from behind. "My sand is absorbing the blood from your skin…"

"Very handy technique!" observed Chizome. "But it can't work forever. I can turn blood into a corrosive acid; if even a drop gets on your skin you'll end up like him, writhing upon the ground until I mercifully end your life. GYAH HA HA!"

"How could he turn blood into an acid like that?!" wondered Lee aloud. The pain finally vanished and he leapt to his feet, the sand returning to the ground

"He is a magnetics user, and from the looks of it a medical ninja as well," answered Gaara, now next to Lee. "The blood is pouring from his hands like a fountain; the ground is becoming saturated. Each moment we delay in defeating him only makes this harder."

"Then we'll take him out right now!" shouted Lee enthusiastically. "Primary Lotus failed, but now behold the power of…" Lee reached into his pack and pulled out a small, wrapped, spherical object.

_What is that?_ thought Chizome, now feeling a little off his guard. _I've never seen a smoke bomb that big before…_

"…the BONBON!" finished Lee excitedly, stunning both Chizome and Gaara.

"What in the hell…?" asked Chizome, his mouth now gaping. "Kid, you've REALLY got issues."

"Just you wait," countered Lee. "I'm not sure how this thing works, but whenever I eat it, all my enemies are defeated."

"Lee…" muttered Gaara softly, his voice uncharacteristically worried. "What are you doing?!" Lee ignored both of them, instead unwrapping the bonbon and popping it into his mouth. He then chewed once, followed by his face turning purple, then red, then green, after which he swallowed with a sizeable and flamboyant gulp. Lee then began to stumble, and like a rock he fell to the ground, snoring loudly immediately upon contact.

"You've got to be kidding me…" said Chizome, slapping his hand against his face and dragging it down, pulling his skin in frustration. "Well, looks like that went over really well for you too, Kazekage-sama." Chizome then thrust his hands forward, launching a pair or blood spears at incredible speed towards Gaara. However, before they could hit, Lee's body suddenly jumped up and chopped his arm through the streams, breaking the spears. His arm moved so quickly that not a single drop of blood retained on his clothing, all of it being whisked off due the tremendous speed of the chop.

"WHATTA YO TINK YO DOIN?!" extemporated Lee in a loud, boorish, slurred voice. "YO CAN'T JUST GET MY FRIEND ALL RED!" Lee continued to wobble back and forth as though he some sort of inner ear infection. Chizome, on the other hand, looked on in complete shock and confusion.

"What the…" he asked slowly. "Are you…drunk?"

"WHATTA YO WAN, HUH?!" shouted the inebriated Lee. "YO GOTTA PROBLEM WIT ME?! I SHOW YO TROUBLE THEN!" Lee then began to again charge towards Chizome, though now much more slowly and unkempt in step.

"Hmph…" grunted Chizome. "You really are something, kid. Blood Spear!" In an equal manner as before, multiple spear of collected blood shot out of the soaked and saturated ground at Lee, but Lee didn't leap backwards to dodge. Instead, he fell to the side as the spears shot past him, catching himself on one foot, all the while continuing his drunken approach.

"WATCHIT!" cried out Lee as he repeated the same escapist move over and over. "YOU ALMOS 'IT ME WIT DAT RED CRAP!" Chizome began to feel slightly panicked, and the barrage of spears intensified, but to no avail – as the speed of the spears increased, so too did Lee's movements.

"Damn it!" cursed Chizome, now feeling a strain on his chakra. _I've used too much chakra in my blood…I'll just have to use what's left in the ground and focus more on Taijutsu…_ The blood spears ceased, and Lee, seizing the opportunity in his sake-induced state, made a bee line straight for Chizome.

"ACHOOOO!" cried out Lee like a mighty warrior, and he began to throw punches at a dizzying rate at Chizome, who tried to block them but was unable – Lee's moves were just too unpredictable. Lee then followed his punches with a well-placed roundhouse kick, and Chizome was knocked to the ground, spatters of blood upon his face. It was then that he saw it – blood coated the bottom of Lee's shoes. Chizome looked onward at this fact with wild, widened eyes, and wrenched his hand at Lee. Immediately Lee's legs froze in place.

"WHA?!" exclaimed Lee, struggling unsuccessfully to move. Chizome stood back up, his hand still extended.

"You're hard to predict…impossible to predict," said Chizome. "But as long as you can't move, I won't have to worry about that. My magnetic jutsu is quite advanced; I only need a little metal to have a strong hold, and that little metal in my blood is enough." Lee continued struggling, grunting angrily as he did so, but nothing he did could break the hold.

"No…" gasped Gaara from across the ruins, and he started to move forward, but not without the notice of Chizome.

"Stop unless you want both of you in pieces…" growled Chizome prompting Gaara to stop. "You'll have your turn soon enough." Chizome then extended his other hand, and a small red thread appeared in the air around Gaara, upon seeing which Gaara froze.

"GRR…" growled Lee. "YO CANT TREET ME LIKE DIS! YO FOGETTIN WHO YO DEELIN WIT! I'M ROCK LEE, BITCH!" Lee's body began to surge with power, and Chizome began to feel the waves of power emanating from Lee's body.

"What is this?!" gasped the blood ninja, but almost immediately his question was answered.

"GATE OF REST! OPEN!" cried out Lee, Chizome's magnetic hold still intact but now beginning to falter.

"The Drunken Master…releasing inner gates…" said Gaara slowly, in complete awe at what was transpiring before him. Suddenly the red thread vanished, Chizome now having to devote all his faculties at holding Lee in check; Gaara wisely stepped back slowly, the began to sprint, his siblings being carried upon beds of sand that followed. Whatever was going to come of this, he didn't want to be anywhere near the epicenter. Mean while, the struggle continued between Lee and Chizome, and Lee's voice again rang out in drunken rage.

"GATE OF LIFE! OPEN!" At this declaration, power poured like a river out of Lee's body, turning his skin red, erasing the color from his eyes and bulging his veins. "GATE OF HARM! OPEN!"

"N-no…!" stammered Chizome, now shaking as he struggled to maintain the hold, but he could feel his chakra waning quickly.

"GAAAAH!!!!" cried out Lee, his voice echoing across the village. "GATE OF LIMIT! OPEN!" Chakra streams now whirled around his body, shattering rocks and sending debris flying into the air. Chizome struggled to reach his hand into a small pouch on his waist, but successfully pulled out a small, brown soldier pill.

_With this I might be able to hold him a little longer…_ thought the thoroughly panicked Chizome, and with that he ate the pill. Immediately he felt additional strength and chakra flowing through his body, and his hold on Lee strengthened.

"GATE OF VIEW! OPEN!" cried out Lee, his voice now rattling with power and pain. His muscles pulsated as he continued to offer up an epic struggle, and the streams of chakra began swirling in a vortex, forming a massive fog of dust around him and the blood ninja. Once again Chizome felt his hold slipping fast, and he decided that now was the time to move in for the kill. With all the strength he could muster he used his magnetic jutsu to form a small spear from the blood on the ground beneath him, and with a painful push he moved it through the air at Lee's again vulnerable body. However, before the spear could strike Lee's voice again cried out, shaking the ground as he spoke through the dust.

"GATE OF WONDER! OPEN!"

From Gaara's vantage point atop a building a hundred yards away, the sight was incredible; a vortex of dust and debris rose from the two struggling ninja and swirled skyward for hundreds of feet, scattering broken rocks and shattered pieces of wood in all directions.

"This is beyond anything I have ever seen…" gasped the Kazekage as he watched wide-eyed. "This is power on par with a Tailed-Beast…"

Inside the vortex, Chizome's grasp finally broke, his spear disintegrating and his body being thrown back a dozen yards from the waves of force emanating from Lee's body. With a crash he landed, sputtering blood from his mouth from the impact, but as he looked ahead Lee was gone. Instead the whole area around him seemed to be unstable, rocks, debris, and dust seemingly leaping from the ground all at once. As Chizome focused more, he saw it – Lee was transversing the entire scene at unbelievable speed, faster than sound, and possibly even lightning.

"Where are you?!" shouted Chizome, all his emotional restraint now shattered. "Fight me like a man, you coward!" Suddenly two blank, intense eyes set in a red face beneath wildly vibrating black hair appeared several feet in front of him. Chizome's heart stopped for a moment, fear for the first time in many years entering his mind. _This is it…_

"ULTIMATE TAIJUTSU!" cried out Lee. "ETERNAL CHAOTIC DANCE!"

Lee punched the ground with his right fist, the impact so massive that the earth all around shattered like glass sending Chizome skyward. As he rose, Chizome saw three images of Lee flying at him at once, all three attacks hitting almost simultaneously. This barrage of bone-crushing kicks and punches continued for several seconds, upon which Lee appeared beneath the ailing blood ninja, punching him skyward once, then twice, then a third time, sending Chizome a hundred feet into the air. At the apex of his ascent, Chizome's life began to flutter and fade, but he retained it long enough to see Lee in the air beside him. Lee then grabbed Chizome's shoulders, his blank eyes staring angrily into his own.

"I am not a coward…" muttered Lee, and with that he threw Chizome into the ground a hundred feet below, the impact so devastating it sent a shock wave in all directions, passing Gaara in the distance and continuing on past. After a minute the dust settled, and after a moment of silence, Gaara rushed back to the ruins.

"Lee!" he called out as he ran. "LEE!!!" It was then that he saw the embattled ninja upon the ground, his skin still red and burnt, but his body visibly wracked from the torment of opening seven of the eight gates. He lay motionless upon the ground, and Gaara knelt down before him and felt for a pulse, completely oblivious to the long-haired blonde girl quickly approaching.

"No…" whispered the Kazekage.

**Next chapter: THE CLASH OF SHADOWS**

**BONUS!** Slow going, I know, but hopefully things will be speeding up as far as new chapters are concerned. To be honest, I didn't think I would be able to do this fight in one chapter; I guess I was wrong. Keep watching the skies!


	31. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER 30: THE CLASH OF SHADOWS – A HARROWING MEMORY**

Shikamaru held perfectly still on the rooftop, his hands held together in the sign of "ram", his eyes set upon the bald figure on the street below. A dark line ran across and down from the rooftop, going further out into the street and joining with the bald man's own shadow. _Whoever this guy is, he's dangerous..._ he thought as he felt the strain of the man through his shadow bind. _He and that woman took out Guy, and nearly defeated two kages as well. This might be too much for me to handle, but…_

"I've got to commend you, kid…" said the bald man in a loud, almost respectful voice. "You've got good training; not only did you bind me, but you bound my shadows as well. Only the best shadow users can accomplish that." The man was tall, with deeply tanned skin and long, loose, black clothing. There were no symbols on his person save two: a Konoha headband hung loosely around his neck, and a large, elaborate tattoo upon his forehead. This tattoo stretched from ear to ear, covering nearly all his skull from his eyes to the top of his head, but from his vantage point Shikamaru could not tell what is said or meant. He could, however, see that the man's face was covered in healed-over scars, and that his deep grey eyes were dark, menacing, and riddled with evil.

"I wasn't aware there were shadow users outside the Nara clan," replied Shikamaru somewhat lazily. "But there's no way to can break from that hold. It's my most powerful Shadow Bind jutsu."

"Nara, huh?" asked the man. "What is your name, young ninja?"

"I suppose if you must know…" grumbled Shikamaru. "It's Shikamaru Nara."

"I am called Kurayami Jin…" replied the man in a low voice. "It is a pleasure to finally meet someone of my own blood."

"What?!" gasped Shikamaru. "What do you mean, 'my own blood'?" Kurayami then gave a small laugh, and slowly turned his head to face Shikamaru.

"What else would it mean?" he asked with a sickly smile, and with those words he began slowly raising his hands against Shikamaru's will.

"W-what the…?!" said Shikamaru, his teeth clenched as he struggled to hold Kurayami still, but to no avail. Below, Kurayami's fingers finally connected in a strange sign: the fingers held together, the tips of the fingers each hand connected to form a circle.

"Here, come down closer…" said Kurayami, and as though his technique had been made void, Shikamaru felt his shadow bind fail. Kurayami then raised his head, and Shikamaru flew into the air.

"Gyah!" cried out the jonin as he flew, noticing the shadowy stream still connected to his feet. _He overcame my jutsu and captured me without me knowing it?!_ Shikamaru then pulled his hands together with all his strength and wove a series of signs, but at that same moment he felt his body being thrust down at a terrifying velocity. With a huge crash Kurayami threw Shikamaru into the ground between himself and the building where Shikamaru had been, sending a cloud of dust, dirt, and rocks into the air with such force that Kurayami had to shield his face from the shrapnel.

"I'm not like the others…" said Kurayami as the dust began to settle, revealing Shikamaru crumpled upon the ground, still breathing and conscious, though battered and bleeding from his mouth and forehead. "They all rely so much on their emotions and get carried away…its sad, when you think about it. So much power, yet so little control…"

"How…did you…?" stammered Shikamaru. Kurayami breathed deep and long before his reply.

"You did capture me, just as you thought," he replied. "But you didn't anticipate us both having the same Kekkei Genkai, in which case I, the stronger shadow user, was able to not only break your hold but turn it against you without your knowledge. You see, you bound the shadows I sent out to kill the kages, but you didn't seem to expect me to send another one out towards you, nicely hidden among the stream connected between us."

"D-damn it…" shuddered Shikamaru, the pain resonating through his body from the forceful impact. He could tell that several bones and ribs were broken, and even though this battle had just begun, he began to fear that it may already be over. _Damn it, Shikamaru! Think! Don't give up! Naruto would never give up, not even in a situation like this. Think man, think!_ While he struggled to gain composure, Shikamaru realized that Kurayami's hands were still set in the strange sign of a circle, a sign that he was sure he had seen before.

"Such a pity…" said Kurayami slowly. "I expected my brethren to be of a more…powerful…class. Frankly, that you would be the product of the Nara clan is depressing to me."

"What, are you saying you're a Nara too?" said Shikamaru, every other word mingled with a wince from the pain throughout his body. Kurayami looked onward, his eyes low with his pupils just at his half-closed eyelids.

"Half a Nara, to be precise," he replied. Suddenly Shikamaru remembered where he had seen that hand sign before; in fact, it was part of a jutsu he was very familiar with, and this realization made his heart race as he struggled to get up, but to no avail.

"Gah!" cried out Shikamaru as a sharp twinge in his arm sent searing pain through his entire right side. It was no use – he couldn't move; his injuries were too much. _So this is what he got Guy with…I'm a dead man…_

"The other half is of a clan called Yamanaka," continued Kurayami, confirming Shikamaru's suspicions about the hand sign. "I'm not sure if they are still around these days, but the techniques I have inherited from that half of the family are potent – so much so that I haven't even shared them with Tetsuma. Shinseiatsu no jutsu!" (Mind control technique). Shikamaru's eyes grew wide with terror as a blue spray of light shot out of Kurayami's face, through the circle made with his hands, and towards Shikamaru.  
_I can't dodge it!_ thought the panicked Shikamaru, but before he could even attempt to avoid it, the light blue spray came into contact with his body, and his eyes became dark, leaving him alone in a pure black void. The pain immediately left his body, and for a moment the darkness persisted, but shortly thereafter he found himself standing alone on a street of Konoha near the place where Ino lived.

_It was raining hard, and the sky was dark as dusk approached in the storm-ridden skies. Ahead of him stood a building with one lit second-story window, and Shikamaru felt compelled to leap onto the building and peek inside, and he did so. Inside he could see two people in the candlelit bedroom, one a blonde girl, slender and lovely, weeping bitterly as she knelt upon the ground, the other a dark-haired boy that looked not unlike a much younger version of his father, though without the scar across his face. This boy was seated at the foot of the bed, looking sullenly at the ground with his arms crossed and resting on his calves. No words were exchanged between the two, instead the only sounds being the pelting rain from outside and the girl's sorrowful wails.  
_

"_My father and mother…" said the voice of Kurayami, and Shikamaru jumped a little as he noticed him standing next to him outside the window. "From what I've been able to piece together from thoughts I've stolen over the years, they weren't happy to find out that I was going to be born. Perhaps not me per se, but the fact that soon they would have a child, yes."  
_

"_Why are you showing me this?" asked Shika. "Why don't you just kill me?"  
_

"_It's not every day one gets a family reunion…" replied Kurayami slowly. "I'm still not sure what end you will meet, but for now at least I have a kindred spirit with whom I can share my most secret memories. At least give me this moment."  
_

"_Very well…" said Shika slowly after a moment, and Kurayami hopped off the ledged and onto the rainy streets below. Shika followed suit, and the two began walking down the muddy promenade.  
_

"_My parents were poor ninja of Konoha, as you saw," started Kurayami as the two walked along in the downpour. "My mother, Inika, was a florist; not a terribly powerful ninja, but not a weak one either. Her bloodline limit was the Mind Control jutsu, typical of the Yamanaka clan, and this jutsu was passed on to me. My father, Shikago, was of the Nara clan, but he was definitely considered among the 'weak' ninja of this village…" The scene around the two suddenly changed, and Shika found himself in the familiar woods wherein his family kept their famed deer. Ahead of them, through the trees, two persons could be seen battling. Shika and Kurayami walked closer to the engagement, and Shika recognized both battling ninja to be of the Nara clan – one, the man from the window, the other clearly Shikamaru's father, the telltale scar __stretching__ across his much younger face. Despite this difference, the two men looked nearly identical, each appearing to be about Shikamaru's age, though Shikaku definitely had the upper hand in the fight. The man identified by Kurayami as Shikago was suddenly knocked away, flying through the air and crashing into a tree. Shikaku then approached the now crumpled Shikago, kunai in hand, his eyes scowling in anger.  
_

"_I won't let you run away from your responsibilities!" shouted Shikamaru's father. "You cannot shirk now; if Inika is pregnant with your child then you must stand by her side and raise your family. Running away means not only that you're not a man, but that you aren't my brother!"  
_

"_You don't understand…" replied Shikago, wiping a trail of blood from his mouth. "We're only fifteen years old…I can't handle this…"  
_

"_You don't have a choice," countered Shikaku coldly. "What's done is done, and arguing about the morality of the situation is pointless. But for you to try and leave Inika on her own is treacherous, and I will not let my friend be betrayed by my own brother. If Dad were here, he'd be saying the same thing."  
_

"_I don't care if you're older than me!" shouted out Shikago. "You're not my father! You can't tell me what to do!" With that, Shikago knocked Shikaku down and began to run through the trees, tears streaming down his bruised and scratched face. He continued this flight for many minutes, eventually collapsing due to __fatigue__ and exhaustion. The ground became spotted with tear drops as Shikago rested upon his hands and knees, the sweat building up and dripping from his nose with a steady rhythm, and after a moment he fell to the side and rolled onto his back, his eyes filling with tears that brimmed off the sides and down his temples.  
_

"_This can't be happening…" he muttered through his sorrow. "This…this can't be happening…" Suddenly a shadow appeared on the ground in front of Shikago, and he awaited yet another strike from his older brother, but none came. Instead a new voice sounded.  
_

"_What are you doing on the ground?" asked a girl's voice, and Shikago looked up to see Inika Yamanaka, now showing a pronounced bump on her belly from the baby. "Get up, silly Shika!" Inika gave a small giggle, but Shikago didn't budge.  
_

"_I don't want you to see me like this…" replied Shikago, but Inika wouldn't have it and she bent over, grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him up to his feet. The lovely young Inika then looked into Shikago red, tear-stained eyes, her own screwing up in confusion.  
_

"_Shika, what's going on?" she asked softly. "Why are you crying?"  
_

"_I-it's…" he stammered. "It's nothing. Just having an argument with Shikaku again."  
_

"_It's about the baby, isn't it?" asked Inika in a low voice, her eyes turning downward. "  
_

"_It's not like that…" countered Shikago, wiping his eyes with his sleeve and attempting to regain his composure. "It's my problem, really. Shikaku wants to support you, but…"  
_

"_But what?"  
_

"_I can't deal with this," continued Shikago. "I'm too young…too crazy to have a child. I'm not ready to be a dad yet…"  
_

"_Well, I don't mean to be insensitive, but you kind of don't have a choice now," replied Inika after a moment. "When it comes down to it, I'm pregnant, you're the father, and both of us are in the same boat. You wouldn't abandon me to do this on my own, would you? Don't you love me?" Shikaku breathed deeply and looked up into the sky, the scattered sunlight making its way through the leaves glinting off his tear-soaked cheeks.  
_

"_You know I love you, Inika-san…" he said softly.  
_

"_Then stay with me," said Inika, and with that she embraced Shikago, burying her head in his chest. After a moment Shikago put his hands gently around her back, and slowly the scene began to fade again, leaving Kurayami and Shikamaru alone in a wide, grassy field. The sky was dark and cloudy, another storm was approaching, and the wind blew in waves across the expansive meadows.  
_

"_Father did a good job of convincing mother of his intent to stay," began Kurayami in his deep voice. "But secretly, he sought to destroy me before I was even born…" Suddenly Shikamaru noticed Shikago, now dressed in long robes and hood, entering the field from behind a knoll. Shortly after his appearance another figure entered the scene, and upon seeing this new person Shikamaru's blood froze. The mask, hood, peculiar red eyes with green pupils, and leathery skin gave it all away.  
_

"_Kakuzu-sama…" said Shikago with a bow.  
_

"_Do you have the money?" asked Kakuzu in his low, rumbling voice. "Thirty thousand ryou."  
_

"_Yeah, it's all here," replied Shikago, pulling out a small briefcase from beneath his robes. Kakuzu took the briefcase and began counting the money meticulously, and after several minutes of thus proceeding Shikago became impatient.  
_

"_Do you have it with you?" he asked, his voice sounding frustrated.  
_

"_Patience, young Shikago," replied Kakuzu. "It's all here it would seem. I must say I didn't expect for you to get it all. It's an awfully large sum."  
_

"_It took a lot of work, but Konoha has a lot of money to be stolen," replied Shikago. Kakuzu then closed the briefcase and pulled out a small scroll from beneath his dark robes.  
_

"_In this scroll is sealed a demon that I captured several years ago," said Kakuzu. "Place it on the woman's belly and it will ensure the death of the child. But do it carefully; you don't want anyone to know of this, not the woman or anyone else. If you do this right, it will look like the baby died naturally."  
_

"_Thank you, Kakuzu-sama," said Shikago, and he gave another bow and turned to walk away, but did not get far.  
_

"_Shikago-kun," said Kakuzu, forcing Shikago to turn back. "I have many spies throughout the land, even in Konoha. If you try to reveal my hand in this, you will die before the words leave your mouth." Shikago gave another bow, though sweat began to drip down his forehead, and with that both he and Kakuzu turned and walked away from each other.  
_

"_Kakuzu later approached me about joining his group 'Akatsuki'," said Kurayami after Shikago and Kakuzu both had disappeared. "I denied him, but I was able to extract that memory during our meeting. It was that experience that led me on my search to Konoha, where I was able to continue my discoveries." The scene then melted away again, and after a moment Shikamaru found himself in the bedroom from before, only now it was darkened and Inika was sleeping in the bed, a large bump protruding under the sheets where her belly was.  
_

"_Just watch…" said Kurayami, and Shikamaru saw the door to the room open. Shikago stepped in quietly, closing the door behind him and drawing the blinds to the window. He then wove a series of signs, recognized immediately by Shikamaru to be a genjutsu.  
_

"_Sleep my darling…" muttered Shikago as he finished the jutsu, and Inika became exceedingly still and calm. Shikago then pulled off the covers of the bed, lifted up Inika's shirt exposing her very pregnant belly, opened the scroll and placed it upon her. The scroll then began to glow, and with a flash the writing upon it disappeared, causing Shikago to shield his eyes from the intensity. After a moment all became calm again, and Shikago removed the now blank scroll from Inika's belly, and a few moments after that Inika began to stir.  
_

"_Sh-Shikago?" she muttered in a half-awake voice. "Why are you here?"  
_

"_I…" he began. "I just wanted to come by and see you."  
_

"_But its still morning…" she said with a yawn.  
_

"_Yeah, I know," replied Shikago. "I just felt like I needed to be with you tonight."  
_

"_Oh Shikago…" said Inika with a smile, and she stroked Shikago's face. Shikago then lied down on the bed next to his pregnant girlfriend, placed his arms around her, and soon Inika fell back asleep. Shikago, however, stayed wide awake, his eyes not closing for many minutes.  
_

"_Such a murderous intent filled my young father's heart…" said Kurayami softly. "Without a second thought he placed that demon into my mother…into me…" The scene changed yet again, and Shikamaru and Kurayami stood in the Konoha hospital. The room in front of them seemed to have a lot of movement inside, and after only a moment sounds of banging and breaking glass began to sound.  
_

"_My birth spelled doom for two doctors, three nurses, and even my mother…" said Kurayami slowly. A piercing scream, followed by another and yet another rang out from the room, and nurses and other doctors began running down the hall towards them. The door suddenly burst open as Shikago stumbled out, his face covered in blood from a gaping wound stretching across his forehead. He then collapsed from excessive loss of blood, and in the meantime a several ANBU appeared in the hall. These charged into the room, and after a minute of intense shouting and painful screams the room became silent.  
_

"_Get someone in there to seal the child!" shouted one of the ANBU. "Hurry before it awakens!" The doctors and nurses ran in, several staying out to tend to Shikago's grievous wound, and after a moment one of the doctors came out of the room holding the silent baby, a tattoo shining in bright red upon its forehead displaying the words Gokuin Akuma (Demon Seal).  
_

"_What should we do with the baby?" asked one of the nurses. "If that thing awakens again…"  
_

"_I don't know…" said the doctor tending to Shikago. "This man's wound goes into his brain and is too deep…I can save him, but he'll never be normal again. If anything he'll be at the level of an infant for the rest of his life…"  
_

"_What about the mother?" asked another doctor. The __nurse__ looked down and shook her head.  
_

"_She's already dead…" she said softly.  
_

"_Call for the Hokage," said the other doctor. "We need to make a decision as soon as possible." The nurses and ANBU officers then took off down the hall and out of sight, leaving the two doctors with the now unconscious Shikago, the green glow of the medical jutsu still surrounding his head.  
_

"_This is bad…" said the first doctor, and the scene melted away into pure darkness._

"The Hokage's decision was to place an intense seal on the demon…" said Kurayami after the scene had completely faded. "I was then relegated far away in the remote northern realm of the Fire Country where a farmer and his wife raised me until I was five years of age. I then escaped and braved the lonely world on my own, using my superior intellect to gain and prosper. The details of that are not important to you; however now that you've seen my past, I am curious – what do you think?"

Shikamaru was shocked; this man his cousin, birthed through an evil act of his uncle. Shikamaru had always known of crazy Uncle Kago, nicknamed thusly as that was the only word the decrepit, wasted man could say. Shikaku and his mother never had said anything of Uncle Kago's past, and never said a word of any cousin, nor of the tragedy at the hospital.

"If you're having trouble believing this, I can understand," said Kurayami. "But it is the truth. I have little emotion left in my cold heart, and as such it profits me nothing to lie."

"I'm so sorry…" said Shikamaru slowly. "Your past…your entire life…it was ruined by the selfishness of Shikago…"

"That is right, young cousin," replied Kurayami. "You are bright just like me."

"So now what?" asked Shikamaru, and with these words the illusion fell and the pain returned. Shikamaru look up from his crumpled position on the ground up at Kurayami, the tattoo on his forehead now glowing just as it had been in the memory.

"I don't have any desire to kill you," said Kurayami. "You seem to understand me, and you have shared this secret and important experience with me. Konoha, however, is ultimately to blame for the suffering I have felt, for the death of my mother, and for allowing my father to accomplish his wicked ways. Konoha gave me a cursed name of Akuma, and forced me to live a lie called Kurayami Jin just to get by. Konoha will therefore pay, and I, Akuma Nara, will mete out justice!"

The tattoo began to shine, and Kurayami, or rather Akuma, began to cry out in anger as his body began to bulge and change, his skin growing darker, his eyes burning like fire, and even horns seemingly appearing out of his forehead.

_This is really bad…_ thought Shikamaru with a wince. It was at this moment that a thought entered his mind seemingly by miracle.

_"Here Shika," said Sakura as the two rode upon Kanmokin the lesser Osprey's back. Sakura handed him a small brown pill.  
_

"_What's this?" he asked. "A soldier pill?" Sakura gave a quick laugh and a pleasant smile.  
_

"_It's better than that," she replied. "While I was caring for you, I noticed that the Brine Country was full of medical herbs. Anyway, I put together this pill specifically for you thinking that I would need it to get you back to health. It is made with very special medical jutsu, and it will repair your body…though only temporarily."  
_

"_You mean this is like a Shikamaru-specific medicine?" he asked, looking down with curiosity at the little pill.  
_

"_It will hold you together long enough for you to receive proper treatment," continued Sakura. "Anyway, hang on to it. You never know when you might need it."_

Shikamaru slowly moved his arm down to his ninja tool bag, searched around inside and finally found the pill, rapidly putting it into his mouth. Above, Akuma's appearance had completely changed, looking similar to the Sound Four when they had released their curse marks, though much larger. He now stood at eight feet, featuring two foot-long horns spiking out of his now rippled head. All his muscles were quadrupled in size, and his skin was dark red, almost looking burned. Akuma's eyes glowed as though they were filled with fire, and long fangs protrude from his mouth.

"Konoha will receive justice…" growled Akuma now facing away from Shikamaru, his voice rumbling and low, causing the ground all around to shake. "Not from emotion, but from pure karmic retribution."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," said Shikamaru plainly, and Akuma turned to see him standing quite comfortably now.

"What?" asked Akuma. "Shouldn't you be incapacitated?"

"Yeah, but it's too troublesome for me to stand still while you destroy that which I care so much for," replied Shikamaru. "If you want to destroy Konoha, you'll have to start with me first." Akuma stood silent for a moment, then, with a small grunt and a laugh, he spoke.

"Very well, cousin."

**Next chapter: THE PAST REVEALED – SHADOWS AND SORROW**

**BONUS:** Hey my loving readers! I hope you guys like flashbacks. I was worried that mine would suck like they do in the anime, but so far I think they've turned out pretty good. Anyway, I love comments, and I read every single one. Keep reading, tell your friends, and watch out for the next chapter! It will be a good one – I guarantee it!


	32. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER 31: THE PAST REVEALED – SHADOWS AND SORROW**

Debris flew skyward from the newly formed crater in the Konoha street. At the bottom stood Sakura, hunched over with her fist firmly planted into the ground, her green eyes glaring angrily through her pink hair up at Ona Doro, standing calmly above her at the edge. Ona was somewhat shorter than Sakura, and she appeared to be older as well – in her thirties, at least. She was quite attractive, with shoulder-length silvery hair that hung straight from her head. Her deep red eyes accented her smooth skin and lips, and her slender, feminine body was covered in dark garb with a black cloak, her feet shod in light wooden sandals. Further down the street were similar craters, all in a line pointing to where Sakura and Tenten had left Shikamaru to deal with Kurayami. Sakura panted and breathed deeply, her chest heaving in and out; fatigue was beginning to set, and her fists ached.

Further above, Tenten with her tightly bobbed hair sat in a similar state as Sakura upon the rooftop overlooking the abandoned street. Surrounding Ona at the craters edge were scattered innumerable implements and weapons, kunai and shuriken; however, Ona remained unscathed and untouched.

"How did she dodge them all?" asked Tenten through heavy breaths. Ona gave a small laugh at her question.

"She must have some sort of doujutsu," replied Sakura, now looking up at Ona, whose attention was given to Tenten above.

"When one can see everything, such things are child's play," replied Ona, at which point she smiled, her eyes suddenly flashing a bright red. This flash was so intense that Tenten had to shield her eyes, but only for a moment. "You should give it up, little girls. You cannot defeat me." Tenten now scowled and gritted her teeth as she looked down at Ona, deep in the crater looking up at Sakura on the edge, her eyes glowing a deep, bright crimson. Sakura felt her body become a little stiff as she looked into Ona's gaze.

_I'll get her with this one for sure…_ thought Tenten from up above. She then grabbed a large scroll from her pack and threw it into the air above her, unraveling it with a delicate and dance-like whirl as the parchment dropped down. Ona still stood in the crater, motionless, and as the weapons began to materialize and fly down at the Cloaked Dagger, Tenten's heart nearly stopped as she made a horrifying realization.

_Ona wasn't in the crater before…_

"Tenten! No! I can't move! I'm trapped!!!" cried out Ona in Sakura's voice, but it was too late. Tenten's weapons hit their target, with kunai, shuriken, and all other tools of death scattered around her. Ona fell back onto the ground, her body pierced with multiple weapons, all the while Sakura's back was to Tenten, her head looking down into the crater at the pierced body of Ona.

"He he he…" chuckled Sakura, only with Ona's voice. "That was a good one." Sakura then turned and looked up at the weapons mistress, a horrible grin on her face, her normally lovely green eyes radiating with crimson.

"What…?" gasped Tenten, her heart jolting for a second time.

"Genjutsu, my dear," replied Sakura, and the scenery began to melt around Tenten, until after a moment the street and crater below returned to clarity. Sakura lay bleeding badly on her back, her teeth clenched in pain as her body remained impaled with Tenten's barrage. Ona was now again on the crater's edge, again looking up at Tenten.

"Ten…ten…" muttered Sakura in a painful, breathy voice, reaching her bloodied hand to her up only to have it fall as she lost consciousness.

"Genjutsu?" asked Tenten in disbelief. "On both of us?"

"Apparently you Konoha kids haven't heard of me before," said Ona slyly. "It takes a lot of fortitude and training to master Genjutsu without weaving hands signs, and even more talent to maintain two genjutsus at once, not to mention without eye contact. I created the illusion in your mind that your pink-haired friend down there and I were switched, and while you were thus unaware I trapped her in another."

"Y-you…" growled Tenten, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked down at her severely wounded friend. "You monster…"

"I told you not to fight me," replied Ona scoldingly. "You cannot win. I've defeated entire armies of warriors and ninja without even raising a finger. Master Tetsuma considers me above even Kira in the organization, and looks at me as an equal." Above, Tenten's emotions began to boil, and a thousand thoughts of destructive methods filled her mind.

"I will defeat you…" she growled. "I won't let you kill Sakura or anyone in this village…"

"Oh?" asked Ona with a playful air followed by a cute feminine laugh. Her red eyes shimmered in the sunlight, looking almost as if they were made of fine powder, reflecting in all directions and giving them and unbelievably deep appearance. It was as Tenten thus looked upon her foe that a memory flashed across her mind.

_I've seen those eyes before…_ she thought. _Red eyes…powdery eyes…powerful genjutsu…_ Tenten gasped loudly and her brown eyes widened.

"Ranmaru!" she said out loud. Ona immediately stopped laughing, standing silent for several moments after Tenten's words. Distant crashes and tumults were the only sounds heard between them during these moments, instead Ona's eyes were fixed upon Tenten's, no longer scowling, but in complete shock.

"R-Ran…maru…?" muttered Ona under her breath.

--

_Ona had always loved Kenmaru since they were __children_

_growing up the Hidden Mist village in the Land of Water. He was always so kind to her, always looked out for her, and early on she knew he would be her husband. He was tall and handsome, with dark hair and rugged features, and seemingly the envy of all the children of the village. However, those days were rapt with sorrow and hatred, as the children in the ninja academy were pitted against each other in mortal combat. Ona and Kenmaru both survived this brutality, but they conceded one to another that the ninja world was not for them.  
_

_Ona and Kenmaru escaped from the village deep in the summer night of Kenmaru's fifteenth birthday. They both knew that by fleeing they would be hunted, but at the same time confident that they would be able to leave that horrid life behind and continue in happiness onward. For weeks they traversed the island nation, ultimately crossing the channels to the north and settling in a small village on a smaller island of the country. Here they __married__ at the young age of sixteen, built a small house, and tried to move on with their lives.  
_

_When Ona and Kenmaru were both eighteen, the two marrieds learned that Ona was pregnant with their first and soon to be only child. Resources and funds were short on this tiny island, and poverty was rampant, but still Ona and her loving husband were overjoyed to bring a child into their lives and their little house. On a lovely spring day the child was finally born, the trees outside flowering lavishly as though welcoming the child into the world.  
_

"_What will you have him called?" asked Ona, her face drenched with sweat and her lovely silver hair ratted and in disarray from the pains of birth. In her arms slept the silvery-purple haired baby boy at his mother's breast, Kenmaru looking down with pure affection upon his __wife__ and __son__.  
_

"_I'm not sure…" said Kenmaru softly, switching his gaze towards the window where he could see the colorful elegance of the blooms outside. "I think we should call him Ranmaru in honor of the welcome nature has given him."  
_

"_Ranmaru…" said Ona with a smile, and with that she succumbed to the stress and exertion and she too fell asleep.  
_

_The next six months passed by idyllically, with Ranmaru growing and learning to walk very early on. It was at this six month mark, however, that everything came crashing down. It began in the evening in late fall; Ona sat with Ranmaru upon her lap playing a game of peek-a-boo, while Kenmaru prepared dinner for the family. A strange sound arose from outside, and Ona's senses pricked.  
_

"_Kenmaru…do you hear something?" asked Ona, placing Ranmaru upon the ground. Before her husband could reply a flurry of shuriken smashed through the window, flying towards Kenmaru.  
_

"_No!!!" screamed Ona as Kenmaru fell dead to the floor, blood sprayed on the walls around him, and as she ran towards him the door flew inwards of its hinges with a tumultuous crash. Ona stopped in her tracks, tears streaming from her widened red eyes, filled with shock and horror at the sudden attack. In the doorway stood a young ninja with wakizashi in hand, his eyes cold and uncaring as they stared down at the trembling Ona.  
_

"_Ona Doro…" said the ninja in a low voice. Ona looked up and saw the symbol of the Mist Village upon his headband. Behind him appeared three more ninja, and the first ninja spoke again. "You are to be terminated for betraying the Mist Village, as was Kenmaru Miyuga."  
_

"_W-what…?" gasped Ona through her tears. "N-no…you can't…"  
_

"_You are to be forbidden the death of honor by Seppuku," continued the ninja. The three others each pulled out several kunai with exploding tags tied to them, and Ona's heart sank. "The traitors of the mist have no honor."  
_

"_No! Please no!" cried Ona, but the four ignored her words, and with that they threw the kunai in all directions, each sticking into the wooden walls. The tags then began to fizzle and burn away, leaving only seconds of life remaining in the home.  
_

_Ona's heart filled with emotion that she had never felt before. Pure rage, pure, unbridled rage...never had she felt such terrible __passion__ for death than she did now. Her eyes began to ache, and with that aching they began to glow, each second resulting in greater intensity.  
_

"_Goodbye, Ona Doro…" said the head ninja, and he began to turn away, but before he could leave his body stopped. Behind, Ona's eyes shone so brightly they were blinding to behold, the light emanating filling house with its eerie iridescence aurora.  
_

"_Die…" muttered Ona in a deep, malicious voice. The ninja's eyes widened, and he screamed out in blood-curdling horror.  
_

"_Sensei!" cried out one of the other ninja, but by that point the head ninja was already on the ground, blood streaking down from his eyes. The three then looked up at Ona, her radiating eyes so filled with hatred that they couldn't turn away. The fizzling then stopped, and with a brief cacophony the house around Ona filled with fire, and then darkness.  
_

_Ona opened her eyes. The grass she lay upon felt cool and damp, and all around was silent in the darkness of the night. A strong smell of burnt wood permeated the air, mingled with that of burnt flesh. A moment passed as Ona lay in this condition, her mind still not reset nor truly cognoscente, but this moment was brief. Quickly she struggled to stand up, and in so doing realized her arms were covered in blood and gashes. In the moonlight she could see shards and splinters of wood and debris, and ahead of her the smoldering remains of her home. Also round about were the corpses of the four ninja, their bodies now mutilated beyond recognition from the force of the blast.  
_

"_N-no!!!" screamed Ona as she hobbled towards the home, her eyes now bereft of tears due to dehydration and burning. "Kenmaru! Ranmaru!" Ona then began fishing wildly through the ruined home, but after several minutes of thus searching she could find only her dead husband, his body surprisingly well preserved from the explosion. However, Ranmaru could not be found anywhere, and Ona, assuming the worst and now feeling the shock wear off, shrieked in sorrow into the night air as she held her dear husband's corpse.  
_

"_RANMARU!!!"_

_From that point on, Ona's feelings towards life changed. Her family had been murdered, her life had been set into disarray, and all she had – her life, her love, her ambition, her hopes, her dreams – all were now gone. After burying her husband near the burnt ruins of their former home, Ona set off for the sea. Any semblance of humanity in her heart was now gone, leaving only a cold, unfeeling shell of a woman in its place.  
_

_Over the next several years Ona traveled from land to land, offering her services as a genjutsu specialist for hire. Assassination, murder, theft…none of these did so much as prick a single thread of emotion in her heart, and it didn't take long for her name to become commonplace among the darker markets of death and vice. It was in this, the height of her popularity among the scum of the earth that two individuals approached her on two consecutive days.  
_

_The first day brought a haughty and annoying blond narcissist to her home high in the Land of Demon. This man, named Hidan, was immediately rejected by Ona, but the second man on the second day, a handsome and soft-spoken young man named Tetsuma Hyuga, convinced to join his cause.  
_

_But throughout all those years of solitude and crime, never once had Ona heard nor spoken the name of her son, the son she was sure had been vaporized in the explosion…_

--

"Where did you hear that name…" asked Ona softly to Tenten. "Tell me now…" Tenten gulped, her eyes darting from Ona to Sakura and back again.

"Four years ago we found a boy named Ranmaru in Katabame Kinzan in the north," replied Tenten somewhat hesitantly. "He was with Raiga, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist-…"

"Raiga…" muttered Ona. "To think that pompous ass would be with him…"

"He's your son, isn't he?" asked Tenten after a moment. "You share the same eyes…"

"My son he is…" said Ona, her voice still soft and sullen. For what seemed like minutes the two stood in silence, Ona at the crater's edge, Tenten up above on the overlooking rooftop, with Sakura still lying upon the bottom of the crater, her clothes stained a dark crimson with blood. Tenten then saw it – a single tear running down Ona's cheek, glinting in the sunlight and resting upon the bottom of her chin.

"Ona…" started Tenten, but Ona cut her off.

"Where is he now…?" she asked. "Please…tell me where he is…"

"We last saw him at the Curry of Life shop near Katabame Kinzan," replied Tenten. "But it has been several years, and I don't know if-…" Tenten stopped as Ona hopped into the crater and knelt at Sakura's side. Ona then put her hands on Sakura's chest for a short moment, stood up, and climbed back out of the crater.

"Your friend needs medical attention…" said Ona plainly. "Get her to a medic soon or she will die." Ona then wave a short series of signs, and with a strange burst of mists she vanished, leaving Tenten and Sakura alone.

"Sakura-chan!" cried out Tenten as she leaped from the rooftop down to her comrade, taking her hand into her own. "Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry…don't worry, I'll get you to the medics right away." Tears began running down Tenten's face as she looked upon Sakura's embattled and pierced body.

"A…ki…ra…" whispered Sakura unconsciously, and with that Tenten pulled out the weapons from Sakura's body, wrapped her wounds as best she could, picked her up and leapt off towards the center of the village, the crashing and rumbling from the nearby battle with Shikamaru and Kurayami growing ever louder.

**Next chapter: DEMON'S RAGE, BEAR'S ROAR**

**BONUS:** Hi there fanerinos. Sorry about the HOOOGE delays in chapter releases, but now I have graduated! WOOO! And guess what that means? That's right! More consistent chapters! Kanko loves you all, and tell you friends to read my story! OH YEAH! I almost forgot – I am considering doing a Bleach fanfic here in the near future, but the decision is still up in the air (time and realistic-ness of the project still pending). Keep watching the skies!


	33. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER 32: DEMON'S RAGE, BEAR'S ROAR**

"HYAH!" screamed Shirokuma the bear ninja, slashing his wavy katana mightily at the Kiba/Akamaru tandem as they smashed into the ground directly in front if him with their usual "gatsuga" jutsu. A spray of blood shot out perpendicularly, and Kiba hopped back upon his haunches, a long bloody streak extending across his face.

"Damn it…" he muttered. Several away to his right another Kiba stood, and with a puff of smoke it reverted back to the large white dog Akamaru. "It doesn't matter what angle we try, this guy is too fast!"

"Kiba!" shouted his mother Tsume from behind, she too bearing damage from Shirokuma's sword. "It isn't going to work!"

"I know, Mom!" yelled back Kiba in a strangely juvenile tone. Ahead, Shirokuma began to chuckle in a cruel laugh.

"Ha!" he snorted. "Mother and son, the pride of the Inuzuka clan…and you can barely even scratch me. HA!" True enough to his words, Shirokuma was in rather good shape for having battled Tsume and Kiba for now over ten minutes. The only damage he had inflicted came from Kiba's surprise attack, but since that moment it seemed that no matter how quickly they moved, Shirokuma moved quicker.

"This isn't good, Kiba," barked Akamaru, and Kiba nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, you and Mom are both right…" replied Kiba softly. At that same moment Tsume and Kuromaru flew past his ear at the bear ninja, but after only a matter of seconds they too met a similar fate. A flash of steel through the air, and Tsume found herself sailing and crashing into the ground just a few feet in front of Kiba. Kuromaru, on the other hand, yelped as the blunt edge of Shirokuma's katana connected, sending him off to the left in a crumpled heap of fur mingled with blood.

"Kuro!" cried out Tsume helplessly, but was only met with more insidious laughter from the bear ninja.

"Kuro! Oh no!" he mocked in a falsetto voice. "Oh, my sweet puppy! HA! You Inuzuka are weak. WEAK, DAMMIT! HA HA HA!"

"You will pay dearly for this…" growled Tsume, her already wild appearance now becoming gamier and more exotic.

"Oh am I? HA!" continued Shirokuma. "What are you gonna say next, huh? That I shouldn't hurt 'poor, defenseless animals anymore'? That I should be kind and gentle to our powerful furry friends? WEAK!"

Whether it was fate or luck, or whether by some higher power, these words seemed to flip a switch in Kiba's mind…

_Young Kiba sat on the smooth meadow grass in the Inuzuka's forest with his new puppy Akamaru. The air was warm and comfortable, birds were singing, butterflies were flapping, and beauty surrounded them.  
_

"_What a day, huh Akamaru?" asked Kiba to his puppy, but as he looked down at where Akamaru had just barely been, he noticed his puppy was several feet away, moving very slowly, belly against the ground, his eyes focused on a small squirrel enjoying a nut a few paces away.  
_

_Kiba did not react immediately, but rather became ensnared in the game before his eyes. He watched with silence as Akamaru inched closer and closer to the squirrel, his movements barely perceptible, and even though Akamaru was in plain view of the squirrel it did not react. In astonishment Kiba watched as his puppy now lay within a few inches of the squirrel, silent and still as a log, and then with speed of an arrow Akamaru lunged forward, catching the squirrel in his mouth by the neck. A faint snap sounded, and Kiba looked downward with a mixture of shock and sorrow as he realized the squirrel was dead.  
_

"_Akamaru!" scolded the young genin, prompting a whine from his puppy who immediately let go of the lifeless rodent. "You shouldn't hurt innocent animals like that!" Akamaru gave another whine, looking to the ground in shame…_

"Mom…" whispered Kiba to his enraged mother who turned her head slightly to listen. "Find a way to keep him talking…" Tsume gave a quick nod, and turned her attention back at Shirokuma.

"How can love be considered weakness?" asked Tsume, her voice riddled with anger. "How can treating animals with respect be considered foolish? Don't you have any spot in your heart at all for you old bear companion?"

"Such wishy washy crap makes me ill…" grumbled Shirokuma. "My old bear was nothing more than an object to help me grow stronger. But instead of turning my pet into a frail, weak, and foolish comrade, I absorbed his strength into my own body. Two infallible creatures can make twice the number of mistakes that one infallible and stronger individual will. That's what was always wrong with you Inuzuka, though; you never wanted to admit your mistakes. You never wanted to admit you were fools when the Mitzigami's broke away! You knew that our techniques would lead to greater strength and more successful ninja! You knew it! But no, you decided to hunt us down unto extinction! But now, I'm going to have my revenge…by taking out Tsume and Kiba, the heads of the clan of animal trainers will be destroyed, and I will finally have peace…knowing that I killed those who killed my fami-…" Shirokuma suddenly stopped speaking, his eyes so wide that they seemed they would fall out of his sockets.

"You are a shame to name of ninja…" whispered Kiba, now seemingly appearing out of nowhere right in front of the bear ninja. Kiba released his grip on the two kunai lodged deep into Shirokuma's heart and stepped back. "Die and go to hell with the rest of your clan."

"B…but how?" stammered Shirokuma, blood saturating his clothing and falling to the ground in heavy waves. "How could…how did y-you move s-so fast?"

"Fast?" asked Kiba in an inquisitive tone. "Who said anything about fast? You said you absorbed your animal companion's powers, and while watching my mom fight you earlier it became clear you absorbed its weaknesses too."

"N…no…" grumbled Shirokuma, falling to his knees. Blood began to trickle out of his mouth, and his bear-like features disappeared, leaving the normal, although mortally wounded human form before Kiba.

"I inched slowly towards you," continued Kiba. "Like a bear you have keen smell and reflexes, but also like a bear you have poor visual eyesight, particularly with slow-moving objects. You didn't even notice me approaching you while you monologued, and even when I was mere inches from you, you didn't see me. You call my clan weak? You call your dead, murderous clan strong? Look at you…pitiful…"

"Kiba…" said Tsume softly, her entire soul filled with amazement at the wisdom of her son. Ahead of her Shirokuma fell forward onto his chest and expired his last breath, and Kiba, with his face now covered in blood from his wounds, fell back onto the grass exhaling dramatically.

"The guys you bring home, Mom…" he said softly. Akamaru ran up and began licking his face, barking happily.

"Good job, my pet," said the large dog happily. "I was wondering if you were ever going to pick up on that."

"Hey now, I didn't hear you throwing out any bright ideas," countered Kiba with a smile. Tsume, on the other hand, walked over to her unconscious husky Kuromaru. Still alive, though bleeding in several areas near his head, Tsume could not help but look down upon her beloved companion and break into tears.

"I'll fix you up boy…" she said softly. A whoosh of air flew past her, and two ANBU officers appeared in the clearing near the dead bear ninja's body.

"Forgive us, Tsume-sama…" said the one on the right, bearing a mask of a cat. "We were caught up with other of the intruders, and were only able to barely escape."

"You're fine, just do what you have to do," replied Tsume without turning around, and the two ANBU picked up Shirokuma and vanished into the trees, leaving mother and son with the beloved animals. "Kiba, help me take care of Kuromaru and then we have to help the others." Kiba nodded, and together they ran back to the house, Kuromaru in Tsume's arms.

--

Shikamaru stood calmly, a bored look upon his face as he faced Kurayami, now transformed into Akuma Nara, a horrific demonic version of the man Shika had so recently met. The demon's clothes were torn and tattered upon his now reddish skin, this having the appearance of being burned with an intense heat. The demon stood at least eight feet in height, with massive long horns protruding from just above the temples of his fiendish head. His eyes were now glowing as though filled with fire, and a smile ran across his face, baring his fearsome canines-turned fangs.

"You stand against me, and I will not show you mercy, cousin," growled Akuma in a deep, booming voice. "Again, I ask you to stand down; I have no desire to kill you."

"And again I have to say no," replied Shikamaru. "My sensei taught me that there are some things worth giving your life for; this village, my friends, my family…all of these things qualify." Akuma's smile turned to a slight frown and he scowled his demonic eyes at his younger cousin, staying in this state for several seconds.

"Then let us begin," replied Akuma after this pause. Shikamaru's bored look vanished, and he likewise began to scowl, his eyebrows pinched together as his dark eyes glared at the fearsome figure before him.

_This is insane…_ thought Shikamaru. _You have nightmares about this sort of thing…but you can't show fear. DO NOT show fear! Just think, and I'm sure the way will-…OH NO!_ Ahead, Akuma extended his horrifying arm outward and opened his claws.

"Ko Majutsu: Gogenan'ai." (Demonic Art: Five Strings of Shadow)

Five dark strings suddenly shot out of Akuma's extended fingers, whipping wildly in the air, each string varying in length as time progressed, ranging from a few inches to several meters.

"That jutsu…" gasped Shikamaru, his eyes growing wide in shock as he saw the technique he had only heard brief mention of during his life. "That is highly forbidden kinjutsu…"

"I see, then you know what this technique can do," replied Akuma pleasantly, whereupon he slashed his hand to the right side. The five threads followed the movements of his hand, the speed intensified from the rotational motion, and they passed across the wall of the building several meters directly to his right. Specks of debris followed the strands, and with a castrophony the wall fell down in five cleanly cut pieces. Dust and rubble flew in all directions, prompting Shikamaru to shield himself from the destruction, and as the dust settled he looked back to see Akuma grinning wildly.

"The finest art of the shadow users!" exclaimed Akuma with his booming, devilish voice. "Shadows tuned so finely, so light, and so sharp they can pass through any material like warm butter! Are you jealous, cousin? Are you jealous of this supreme power?"

"Not really," answered Shikamaru with a cough from inhaling some dust. "Anyone who uses that technique dies from that technique. It is too difficult to control, even for a demon like you."

"Even for one who has trained his whole life to mastering this art?" countered Akuma. He then held out his left hand, from whence five more threads appeared from his fingertips, resulting in ten flailing strands of razor-sharp shadow. "It is the ultimate defense AND offense for the shadow user." Akuma then flicked one of his fingers forward a little, and a single thread shot towards Shikamaru's face.

"Gah!" cried out Shika, wincing as the thread tapped his cheek, sending a spurt of blood skyward.

"Hee hee hee!" giggled Akuma. "I never imagined it could be so powerful! Such small movements have such a great effect!"

"Well, I guess it can't be helped…" said Shika, wiping the blood from his cheek. "I must defeat you. There's nothing for it."

"That is impossible…" growled Akuma with widened eyes. "Surely you can see that." Akuma then raised his hands high into the air, and with a smooth, rapid motion he lowered them towards Shikamaru, sending the threads at incredible speed downward. Shikamaru leaped backwards just before the threads sliced through the ground where he stood. Dirt and shreds of earth shot out from the impact, and Akuma drew back his shadow threads. Shika, meanwhile, skidded to a stop beyond, pulling out a kunai.

"You think that can stop me?" asked Akuma. "What do you think you can do with that?"

"I don't know," replied Shikamaru as confidently as he could. "All I know is that I ne-…" Shika stopped speaking, his eyes widening in horror as the blade of the kunai in his hand suddenly fell to ground, cleanly cut from the handle without a sound and without even a spark. A shadowy thread retracted back to Akuma, who stood gauntly in his terrible form, the tattoo upon his awful head radiating continually, shining its eerie light upon his horns on either side.

"Oh, I'm afraid that was just too easy…" said Akuma softly and sympathetically. "I should have expected you not to listen to my words before. These threads of shadow can cut through ANYTHING without effort. They are formed from my own shadow below; it is similar to the Shadow Bind jutsu, but finer. Each strand is impeccably thin, maintained at a sharpness greater than the finest katana, but even more importantly than that is that these threads are not made of physical matter, but rather the lack of matter."

"What?" asked Shikamaru softly.

"Don't tell me you actually thought your Shadow jutsu was material…" said Akuma depressedly, shaking his head shamefully and lowering his eyes to the ground. "What is a shadow? Is it anything more than a lack of light? And what is light? Energy."

"So you're saying the Shadows we use are…"

"That's right," continued Akuma. "They are a vacuum, a lack of matter, controlled by our kekkei genkai as the Nara clan. There is nothing in the universe that can withstand the power of nothingness when properly tuned, and that's all this really is – nothingness, a vacuum, a carefully held zone of emptiness. Atoms, molecules, hardened steels and fields of form…all these will separate with little effort at my technique, the gogenan'ai…"

"Damn it…" grumbled Shikamaru as he listened to Akuma's words. _That's one hell of a jutsu. It just cut right through my kunai like it was nothing. What's worse, I can't seem to think of any way past that technique. A single hit will sever an arm, a leg, my head…curses! What do I do?_

"My you've made me talkative today!" exclaimed Akuma emphatically, sweeping his hands from left to right in front of his body, his feet held firm in their position upon the ground. The threads thrashed through the buildings all around Shikamaru, who leaped skyward just in time to avoid the attack.

_I don't know what to do!!!_

"Once again you're stuck in the air," grumbled Akuma. "Maybe I overestimated you, Shikamaru Nara…" Akuma brought his hands upwards and together, and the ten threads raced through the air towards the vulnerable and indefensible Shikamaru. Some distance now separated them, and Shikamaru, now with a window of a couple seconds, finally panicked,

_No!!!_ Shikamaru closed his eyes and anticipated the end. _I can't believe this is happening. I didn't even stand a chance against this guy…and now I've let down everyone…_ It was thus as he reached the apex of his climb, the threads rapidly approaching, that Shikamaru's mind's eye showed him a memory he had not expected. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and in his mind he remembered a seemingly inconspicuous day…

_Shikamaru, still a young genin, sat on the porch to his house with his sensei, Asuma Sarutobi. The two were engaged in another riveting game of shogi, though clearly Asuma was losing – badly.  
_

"_Asuma-sensei…?" asked Shikamaru as he overtook a knight. "When I watch you fight, I see something coming out of the tips of your trench knives." The rugged Asuma took a puff from his cigarette and exhaled.  
_

"_That is wind chakra," he replied slowly. "It makes them sharper, you see." Asuma then pulled out his knives; they were little more than steel, handle-less knives with holes and divots specifically for fingers and comfort, but when used in battle they turned Asuma, a rather lazy individual, into a nightmare.  
_

"_Wind chakra?" asked Shikamaru. "I didn't know you were a wind-type…"  
_

"_Yeah," replied Asuma, the knives now on his hands. "By collecting and tuning the chakra from my hands into the blade, they become more than just a weapon – they become a chakra weapon."  
_

"_So can other chakra types be put into weapons?" asked Shikamaru. Asuma grinned and gave a chuckle.  
_

"_Of course," he said with a smile. "Most the Jonin-class ninja have something like this…just they aren't as good as me." Asuma closed his eyes and lifted his head with satisfaction.  
_

"_What about my shadows?" asked Shikamaru softly after a moment of sitting in silence. Asuma opened his eyes and looked off into the sky, the smile disappearing from his face. For a good while he sat in this position, seemingly thinking and pondering on Shika's question. After this short while he gave a deep breath and a grunt, after which he spoke.  
_

"_I suppose if you were to accomplish something like that…" he said slowly. "Your shadows aren't a chakra, but rather a manipulation with chakra. I don't know…I've heard of jutsus that involve weapons, but never shadows. I suppose I would say…if you could pull that off and make it effective, you would be on the level of a Hokage in skill."  
_

"_Then it isn't too likely," replied Shikamaru in a bored tone. "If that's what it would take, it's too troublesome for me to worry about." Asuma looked down at his young genin and smiled.  
_

"_I bet the girls would dig it, though."  
_

"_Check mate," said Shikamaru through a yawn. Asuma gasped and looked down at the shogi board. Surely enough, he had been beaten. "Good game, sensei. See ya tomorrow, I'm going for a nap." Shikamaru then entered the house and went to his room, not giving even a second thought to Asuma's lesson. However, now that changed, and Shikamaru felt the years of training come together. The image of the shadow upon the blade, ever sharpening, ever moving, ever in a state of movement…it seemed so intense and dynamic that Shikamaru began to feel it would be impossible, but he quickly rejected these thoughts. The method of transferral became clear, and Shikamaru now knew…he had it._

_Asuma…I won't let you down. I remembered what you said, and even though I'm no Hokage, I have to make this technique work. I'll even give it a name you can be proud of._

Shikamaru grabbed into his flak jacket and pulled out the trench knives of his fallen sensei, gripped them tightly, and opened his eyes.

"Asumakageken!" (Shadow Blade of Asuma)

**Next Chapter: HIS SENSEI'S STUDENT – SHIKAMARU'S WILD CARD**

**BONUS!** Hee hee…I was gonna finish this whole thing in this chapter, but as I got into it I just couldn't do it. It seemed unfair, to create such potential and end it so quickly. Look forward to the next chapter – it will be, as the French would say, le chapitre plus awesome du monde.


	34. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER 33: ASUMA'S STUDENT INDEED – SHIKAMARU'S WILD CARD**

"Asumakageken!" (Shadow Blade of Asuma)

With a horrendous clash and a deafening din, Akuma's ten threads of razor-sharp shadow stopped in place around Shikamaru. The trench knives were now black as pitch, a massive curved shadow several feet long protruding from the each of the blades. Whereas steel would have released sparks with such a clamor, in this case silent wisps of darkness shot out briefly in the surrounding air from the contact points of the threads and Shikamaru's shadows. Shikamaru's eyes were shut tightly, his mouth open with a slight curl, looking almost as though he were in pain.

"That is interesting…" said Akuma slowly as he retracted the threads, allowing Shikamaru to fall to the ground where he landed deftly. "I have never seen a technique like that in my life."

"Funny you should say that," replied Shikamaru after a moment. He then opened his eyes and looked at his new weapons. "I haven't either." Each trench knife was flowing with shadow, sloping off the blade and coming to a sharp tip three feet long. The shadow also extended upward from the top of the knives for a few inches, granting added protection to his hands. Fluidic motion circumscribed the entire shadow blade, particularly at the edges where the shadows moved at incredible speed, and Shikamaru was in awe. _How did I do this?_ he thought to himself.

"From the looks of it, we are at an impass of technique," said Akuma in a deep growling voice. "I thought by knowledge of jutsu I could defeat you, but I was wrong. We shall have a proper battle then, one that will without a doubt go down in legend." Akuma then grinned and flicked all ten demonic, clawed fingers towards Shikamaru, who simultaneously charged at the demon.

"Kurayami!" cried out Shika, and at once the ten threads struck. Darkness shot out once again as Shika's asumakageken blocked the gogenan'ai, and Shika continued forward. A flash of black swished through the air just before Akuma's chest as Shika went on the offense, but with another spray of shadow a thread stopped Shika's blade just in time. Shika gritted his teeth and swung his remaining blade again, but Akuma anticipated it and leaped a few yards backwards to safety.

"I take it full-on assault isn't your thing?" asked Akuma with a devilish grin. "The Nara clan never was that kind of force; but to see you attempt is it somewhat entertaining. Come on, try it again." Shikamaru scowled and ran at the demon again, and once more shadows clashed. However, none of the techniques Shikamaru tried had any effect.

_How does Naruto do this?_ thought Shikamaru frantically after a minute of this offensive-style fighting. _I can't open a window at all – those threads of shadow seem to be everywhere, and if I don't pay attention one of those will cut me…_ Shikamaru stopped his futile attacks and leaped back.

"What is this?" asked Akuma. "That's it? You're done?"

"This type of fighting will do me no good," replied Shikamaru, his voice becoming cooler and more confident. "You're right – I'm not an offensive fighter. Usually I just like to sit back away from danger. I'm lazy like that."

"Ha!" laughed Akuma. "Just like our fathers. Very well then, if you want to be on defense, then so it shall be." Akuma then held out his hands, his fingers moving back and forth as though playing a koto (a traditional 13-string zither from Japan). The ten gogenan'ai threads thrashed through the air and ground, and one by one they began to strike at Shikamaru. After several dozen strikes Shikamaru began to feel more confident in his abilities with the asumakageken; the shadow blades were completely impervious to the gogenan'ai threads, and vice versa. Hence between the two weapons there was no division in strength, and as such neither could vanquish the other.

"Just as I thought…" muttered Shikamaru as he ran perpendicular to Akuma, fending off three more flicks of shadowy thread. _He's trying to get me trapped, but it isn't going to work…_

"For a Nara, you are slow," countered Akuma. "I take it you just barely realized that our techniques cannot cut through one another." Shikamaru's expression suddenly changed to shock at these words.

"H-how did you…?" gasped Shikamaru, prompting a chuckle from the demon.

"I've known since you first revealed that jutsu," continued Akuma, momentarily ceasing his barrage upon the jonin. "Void cannot split void. But that would only be a problem if we just stuck to these techniques, wouldn't it?" Akuma then smiled and took in a deep breath.

_Just a little longer…don't rush it…_ thought Shikamaru.

"Onipo…" growled Akuma without weaving any signs. "Tajuutsu, noshiyobi gogenan'ai." (Demon Art: Multi-technique, brain death and five strings of shadow)

"What?!" asked Shikamaru, the shock on his face increasing. "You are using two Kekkei Genkai at the same time?!"

"Yeah…" answered Akuma with a grin, and immediately as he said this a blue flash of light shot out from his eyes at the jonin. "It's over." Across the space between them the blue spray of spirit sailed towards Shikamaru, and instinctively he held up the asumakageken to deflect it, knowing full well the Yamanaka bloodline limit could penetrate flesh, bone, steel, and even chakra itself.

_I'm dead…_ passed through Shika's mind. Even if he tried to dodge, he would be flat-footed and easily dispatched by the gogenan'ai, and as such he knew he was beaten. At that same moment the blue spray came into contact with his blades, and Shika closed his eyes tightly awaiting the tortuous rack destined for him. A moment passed, however, and there was nothing. Instead Shikamaru stood still and silent, his arms still raised in defense, all the while Akuma chortled in a monstrous tone of laughter.

"You are the first person to ever witness the use of my dual Kekkei Genkai technique," said Akuma in a cheery, awful voice. "I have carefully planned and calculated this technique. There is no way out of it; while the motion is slower than most mind-control techniques, it is completely effective in knocking out all motor, muscular, and nerve function within a body for the space of several minutes."

"D-d-damn…i-it…" stuttered the trapped jonin, still stuck in the same position. Akuma then scowled a bit, nevertheless maintaining his awful grin, and with a low rumbling voice he spoke in words and tones that would make any lesser man's heart fail.

"Die, little cousin…"

Akuma stretched out his arms as he had done before, and as though giving a tumultuous clap he brought them together, the ten strings of the gogenan'ai waving as they coursed through the air at their target. Akuma's grin widened, but his demon eyes could not see the look of determination in his opponent.

_Gotcha…_

Shikamaru vanished with several wisps of darkness as the threads sliced through dead air, leaving Akuma perplexed.

"Shadow clone?" he mused with a chuckle as he turned around to his right to find Shikamaru standing comfortably with his asumakageken behind him. "You are a sly one, young Nara."

"If it were that easy, then this wouldn't be over," replied Shikamaru, his voice now beginning to sound uneasy. "Give up, and you will not die." Akuma's insulting air suddenly turned to one of disdain, and his eyes scowled in anger.

"You're actually telling me to give up?" he growled. "You did a fancy sidestep and avoided my technique, and you think you've won?" Shikamaru's face was stony and cold, almost completely void of emotion as he listened to the demon's words, and with his reply this state was preserved.

"Give up, or die."

"And how do you expect to kill me, huh?" shouted the demon with an earth shaking roar. At this moment Shikamaru looked down to the single asumakageken, held in his left hand – while the right hand was empty of any weapon. Akuma noted this fact, but after half a second his expression once again changed – now to complete shock.

"There was no shadow clone," continued Shikamaru coldly. "Your technique did strike, but the shadows consumed it like a magnet, leaving me with the advantage."

"What?!" gasped Akuma, his eyes beginning to squint in rage.

"When you struck me with your threads, I quickly tied them to my right trench knife, there on the ground behind you. You might notice a small shadow from me to that knife on there ground. See there?" Shikamaru pointed and Akuma looked down. Surely enough, a thin shadow stretched from Shikamaru's feet to a small trench knife upon the ground where he once stood, a thin strand of Akuma's shadow hastily tied around it.

"Hmph…" grunted Akuma, turning back to Shikamaru. "Like I'd give up on my revenge. You will die by my hands, little cousin!" Akuma began to charge, giving a horrific battle cry as he sprinted towards the cool jonin.

"What a drag…" muttered Shikamaru, and his shadow hold on the knife sped back to his body pulling the knife through the air. Without a sound it passed into Shikamaru's hand, and the demon stopped his charge.

Akuma's trembling face looked downward as his demonic eyes stared in disbelief. A long red line circumscribed his entire midsection just below his monstrous pectorals, and after a moment of thus staring a gurgling sound emanated from his throat.

"S-So…" said Akuma in a voice so soft and weak from lack of breath that it could barely be heard at all. "Shikamaru Nara, huh? A fine ninja indeed…" Blood began to trickle down Akuma chest from the red slash, and Shikamaru felt the urge to turn away from the horror about to ensue.

"I told you…" muttered Shikamaru, and he did as his feelings dictated, turning around as Akuma fell to the ground in two pieces. "Everyone who has used that technique has and will die by that technique." Shikamaru never turned back to see the gore behind him; while he had just battled the fiercest opponent of his life, he could not bear to see his cousin in such an awful bifurcated state. Rather, Shikamaru continued walking onward through the forest, until at last he couldn't hold it in any longer. He knelt down next to a tree, and began to weep.

Without warning a searing pain shrieked across his entire body, leveling Shikamaru upon the ground. So great was the pain that he couldn't even writhe in search of relief, but he knew what was happening. After all, he had expected it.

_Looks like Sakura's wonder pill has lost its effect…_ he though as the pain began to steal away his consciousness. _If I wake up alive, I'll have to thank her for this…_ Not another thought passed through his mind, and with that his eyes closed and his breathing became faint as he slipped away.

--

A pair of Ikemasen Byakugan eyes set below lovely purple hair peered through the trees at the main gate of Konoha, scanning from side to side for a moment before a growl disrupted the search.

"Hinata-chan, something is wrong in there," said the gruff voice of the Dire Wolf Fenrir. "The smell of smoke is permeating the air, and the ground seems to be constantly rumbling."

"There are many ninja fighting deep within the city," replied Hinata Hyuga. "So much movement, so much chakra being released…it's like there's a war going on in there!"

"Then we must go in and fight to protect your village!" demanded Fenrir, and Hinata nodded in agreement. The tandem then exited the trees and began running towards the gate, Hinata holding tightly onto the great wolf's fur. As they were about to pass the gate, however, Fenrir suddenly stopped, nearly throwing Hinata headfirst into the road before them.

"Gah!" cried out the Hyuga girl as she held on to the wolf during the stop. "Fenrir-sama, what's wrong?!"

"I can smell a Raven…" growled the wolf, now looking menacingly from side to side. "One of those Ravens of the Blight…" For a moment the two scoured the surroundings for any intruder, even looking above them where the sun stood directly above the gate, but to no luck.

"I don't see anyone near here," observed Hinata. "Are you sure Fenrir?"

"Definitely," he replied. "You don't forget the smell of one of those…" The scouring continued, neither one noticing the large shadow forming on the ground beneath them.

**Next chapter: THE TRAITORS**

BONUS! Oh gee! I went on this big long vacation back east you see, and where I thought I would have internet turned out to be internet-less. Hence the late submission. Anyway, just three or four more chapters left in the story! Can you believe it?


	35. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER 34: THE TRAITORS**

"What the…?" asked Hinata, turning her head upwards. The shadow grew larger, and above her Ikemasen Byakugan eyes saw the source. "Fenrir! Run!" The Great red Wolf leaped forward just in time to avoid a fatal shred from the talons of Hiren, the king of the Dire Ravens. Amid the enormous cloud of dust a single figure shot out like an arrow, sailing high into the air.

"You're the one who hurt Tetsuma back in Raikure…" growled Karasu Sashimi as she flew, her gaze fixed on the thoroughly shocked Hinata Hyuga below, staring up at the Cloaked Dagger coming her way. "You'll die ten times over for what you've done!" (Note: Raikure refers to the capital village of the Country of Lightning where Tetsuma and Hinata faced off earlier). Karasu's long black hair and dark, flowing, lace-like robes whipped wildly through the air, her pale skin starkly contrasted against her jet-black hair and eyes.

"Why couldn't I sense her?" asked Hinata softly, and without another word she pulled out a kunai and awaited the impact of the assailing kunoichi.

"Die!!!" cried out Karasu gleefully, and from behind her back she pulled out a wakizashi, the blade held in reverse like a kunai. "Gyah ha ha!" With a clash of steel and a spray of sparks, Hinata disappeared from Fenrir's back, she and Karasu now several yards away dueling with furor.

"Hinata-chan!" cried out Fenrir, his red and silver fur now standing up in his anger, and with those words he leaped towards the fencing kunoichi – but he did not get far.

"Not on my watch! HAW!" cried out a booming voice mingled with the caws of a crow. Fenrir yelped in agony as four gigantic talons latched onto his body, carrying him into the air as Hiren lifted him away.

"Hiren!!!" growled the Wolf. "You're treachery grows further each day!"

"Oh, shut it wolfie," countered the Dire Raven insultingly. "I can't have you interrupting my servant's plans. But the other Ravens will be delighted to hear how I took out the Prince of the Wolves single-handedly."

"In a fair fight you would be a bloody pile of feathers in minutes…" continued Fenrir, his growls piqued with occasional yelps as Hiren's talons dug into his fur and skin. "But with you, treacherous actions aren't unheard of."

"Again I say shut it," interrupted the Raven. "You can't warp back to your home while caught in my talons, so be a good little dog and die for me. HAW!" Hiren's toes began to flex, squeezing Fenrir to the point where he felt he would burst.

"You…haven't…gotten…me…yet!" stammered the Wolf. "Ookami no jutsu! Shukugen!" (Wolf Technique: Diminishment) With a great burst of smoke Fenrir seemed to vanish from Hiren's talons, thoroughly shocking the great Raven.

"What?!" shouted the Raven angrily, looking about and flapping frantically to maintain flight. Away from his gaze the small object fell to the ground, landing roughly in the trees until plopping awkwardly on the earth.

"Oof!" grunted Fenrir, now in the shape of a small red-and-silver puppy. Fenrir looked up into the air, watching Hiren scuttle about nervously looking for his missing prey. "Not this time, foul Raven. Next time, however, I will take you down…" The puppy then turned and ran through the forest back to the village, already now several hundred yards away, the rumblings of battle and the screeches of steel still easily heard.

--

Deeper in the village, an all out war was taking place. The small number of Ring ninja from the Three Mountain village of the Country of Brine were handling an entire garrison of Leaf ninja quite handily; scores of ANBU, jonin and chuunin already were fallen. While originally eight, these Ring ninja had been joined by four of their brethren after Kakashi, Shizune, Sai, Konohamaru, and Chouji had entered the fray (Ino had left after seeing a large explosion of debris deeper in town); with these reinforcements, Raiko Ikazuchi and the twelve Ring ninja seemed to be almost unstoppable.

"Raikiri!" shouted Kakashi, his sharingan eye strained and his fist glowing with innumerable sparks (lightning blade). With a shout he lunged at the erratic white-haired, blue-eyed and handsome Raiko, dressed in long, dark robes, the champion of the Village Hidden in the Clouds, who looked upon his attacker with a sense of smugness.

"Raiken…" said Raiko softly, and he held out his hand towards Kakashi. A bright light flashed in his palm, and Kakashi, knowing he had to hurry, went in for the kill.

"GYAH!" Kakashi slammed his fist at Raiko, the chakra bursting in all directions, but instead of flesh Kakashi only felt steel.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Raiko while Kakashi looked up with horror. "You thought you could kill me with a lightning technique? Me?!" In Raiko's hand now was a sword, the blade long and wavy, crackling with electricity.

_This guy's just too fast…_ thought Kakashi, his body now weary from the non-stop battery since encountering Raiko's group. _Even my sharingan is having a hard time keeping up with him._

"Copy Ninja Kakashi…" muttered Raiko with a somewhat gleeful tone. "I've waited a long time to do battle with you, the one I was sure would be the sixth Hokage, the one whose name is feared all across the continent. But now that I've met you and fought you for these short few minutes, I must say I am a little disappointed."

"I'm sorry," replied Kakashi dully, now standing up and backing away from Raiko. "It's been a long day for me, you see…I'm not at 100%, so…" Around them the sounds of battle raged on, and a dark, ink-colored animal burst into a spray of black fluid near Raiko's feet.

"I see that artist ninja of yours just lost a rat," mentioned Raiko, his eyes looking down at the inky remains of one of Sai's gigai. "Rats and sparks…weak for the supposed greatest nation on the continent." Kakashi panted, his sharingan looking lazily upon Raiko.

_I can't use the Mangekyou Sharingan here…too dangerous…_

"Very well," conceded Raiko. "I will just have to destroy you here. My men will wipe out this village, and you will have to endure the eternities knowing that you failed the Leaf. Goodbye, Hatake…" Raiko raised his sword into the air, his face low, almost sullen. Then the flash came; Raiko's strike was beyond Kakashi's ability to avoid, even with the full power of his sharingan activated.

_His moves are like lightning itself…_ thought Kakashi in this seemingly final moment. _So now I get to see death again, huh?_ Instead of death, however, Kakashi felt a cool sensation, and at the same moment a dull, splitting sound as though ice were being cut filled his ears. Kakashi then noticed Raiko's blade, now almost fully encased within a pillar of ice rising from the ground.

"You…" growled Raiko.

"Yes, me," replied a silver haired ninja off to Raiko's right, the ninja's hands set in the sign of ram. "I can't let you harm any more people, Raiko."

"I left you to deal with the Kankokage, didn't I?" asked Raiko in a completely dismayed tone. "Seems the organization can't trust you with anything, Jago Kotetsu."

"Let's just say I came to a higher knowledge," replied the younger, handsome ninja from the Land of Snow as Raiko looked onward, his complexion becoming more and more sour as each second passed. "Tetsuma-sama's ambition is foolhardy and will lead only to destruction – never gain. Besides, I felt it was time for a real change in my life. I had dealt with villainy since I was a child…perhaps heroism would bring me some semblance of joy?" Raiko didn't immediately respond; rather he stood glaring at his former comrade, all the while Kakashi's fatigue became harder and harder to bear. He was at his limit after only several minutes of fighting with Raiko, and had Jago not come – he would have surely been dead.

"Traitor…" said Raiko softly, lowering his face while maintaining his gaze upon Jago.

"Kakashi-sama, leave him to me," said Jago as an aside. "Help your comrades – I can defeat Raiko."

"But…" started Kakashi, but Jago cut him off.

"I can defeat him!" repeated Jago, now much more sternly. Kakashi stepped back for a moment in shock but conceded.

"He's all yours…" said the Copy Ninja, and with that he vanished into the fray of Ring and Leaf ninja.

"What exactly do you plan on doing?" asked Raiko after a moment. "You, after all, are the weakest member of the organization, not to mention youngest, most foolish, most illogical-…"

"I will defeat you," declared Jago obstinately. "I don't care if Tetsuma-sama thinks you are the strongest ninja in the team."

"It's not just him," said Raiko rather quickly. "Karasu, Itami, and Kurayami all agree with him. Or course Chizome doesn't, but then again Chizome thinks he is God. But enough talk – I have a traitor to execute." Raiko gave what looked like a mild tug at his captured sword, and the ice column shattered as though it were made of paper-thin glass.

"Hikatana!" shouted Jago. His ice katana then appeared in his hands with a blue flash, and he surged towards Raiko, who merely smirked at the oncoming attack. "I will defeat you, Raiko! I will redeem myself, even if it means my death!"

"You have so much to learn in the art of villainy…" said Raiko softly with a slight grin as Jago advanced closer and closer. "I had eyes to train you, to have you be my apprentice. I saw great potential in you, but now that is all gone. You have rejected the great calling Master Tetsuma gave us, and you are proceeding down a path of weakness."

"DIE!!!" cried out Jago, and he slashed his ice katana at Raiko's chest. Raiko then looked up with disdain in his eyes, and swung his own sword.

A spray of ice flew into the air as the two connected, and a ringing filled the scene for a moment. Jago now stood several paces beyond Raiko, their backs to each other. Jago's sword had shattered, a broken hilt all that was left in his hands, and immediately he fell to his knees, blood dripping down from his mouth onto his dark clothes. Raiko, on the other hand, stood quietly and astute, listening intently to every sound emanating from Jago's cut body. The Ice Ninja coughed, spattering flecks of blood onto the ground, and with that he fell to the ground, his face buried in the rubble from the battle.

"Hmph…" grunted Raiko. "Not even good for a single attack. Oh well, at least we ridden ourselves our weakest link-…"

"N-not…yet…" stammered Jago from behind in a seemingly incoherent, gurgling voice. The Ice ninja then stood up and turned towards Raiko, a horrifying bloody gash stretching from his shoulder diagonally to his waist.

"What do you expect to do like that?" laughed Raiko. "You are seconds away from death, yet you stand before me, your superior, with an intent to kill? You don't even have a sword anymore, and you clearly don't have the stamina left to use your fabled 'ice clones'. Give it up and die, Jago. You are a traitor to our cause."

"N-no…" gurgled Jago as he attempted to approach Raiko, but he couldn't even make a single step before falling back to the ground, this time on his back, his chest heaving for air while the blood continued coursing from his gaping wound.

"Or perhaps I should deliver the final blow…" pondered Raiko, stepping over to his fallen foe. "I could do this as a show of kind feelings towards my former companion." Raiko raised his sword above Jago's chest, but before he could land the mortal strike something caught his attention – a bird, flying directly above them, singing a peculiar song. Raiko watched this bird for several moments, a series of expressions wafting across his face during this time. This bird then disappeared from view, and Raiko looked back down at Jago, his eyes now changed. Jago in his dying state couldn't figure out what the look in Raiko's eyes meant, but his words erased all contemplation.

"Looks like we're both traitors now, Jago Kotetsu," said Raiko softly, almost with a smile. "If somehow you live, become stronger, and we'll have a true ninja battle." With that Raiko vanished with a blur, leaving Jago helplessly strewn upon the ground, his wounds showing no sign of clotting.

"R-Rai…ko…?" he asked, his voice becoming nonexistent. The few sounds of battle he could still hear with his fading faculties stopped, and his vision began to blur and darken.

_I couldn't do it…_

--

At the village gate, Karasu's rage poured out onto Hinata like scalding oil. The pure hatred with which Karasu sliced at the Hyuga girl was so intense that it hurt Hinata's Ikemasen Byakugan eyes to behold; Karasu's thoughts were hell-bent on not only killing Hinata, but in disfiguring and literally destroying her. However, no matter how long Hinata parried and blocked Karasu's deadly wakizashi, she could not see deep enough into the summoner's mind to see why she felt this way.

"Seeing into my thoughts, huh?" growled Karasu, slashing without hesitation at Hinata's face, only to again be met by a luckily timed kunai. "Tetsuma does that from time to time, but I've learned to block him out when I need my space." Immediately Hinata's view into the thoughts of Karasu vanished, and at once her eyes began to ache on a level previously unknown.

"Why are you doing this?!" shouted Hinata, finally finding an opportunity to move to offense. "Why are you trying so hard to kill us?"

"Because my love desires it!" laughed Karasu. Hinata instead developed a somewhat sad look in her eyes, and hesitated for a moment to reply.

"You don't love him…" she said softly, prompting a wide-eyed stare from Karasu. The summoner then stopped her attack, leaving the two in a state of peace not unlike the eye of a hurricane.

"What…?" asked Karasu in a whisper.

"You don't really love him, and he doesn't love you…" continued Hinata. "I saw it in his mind when I fought him earlier, and I can see it in yours right now."

"How…" stammered Karasu.

"You are together for advantage, and advantage only," said Hinata softly, now looking directly at Karasu, her Ikemasen points glowing brightly even in the daylight. "You both know this won't last, and are just using each other…even though that may seem hard to believe, deep in your mind it is true."

"You…" growled Karasu in a deep, menacing tone. "You…you bitch!"

Karasu lunged at Hinata and slashed her wakizashi at Hinata's chest just below the breast, but whereas before Hinata's kunai was able to defend the strike, this time it could not. The blade slashed across Hinata's coat, spraying blood out as the blade ripped through.

"GAH!" screamed Hinata, and she fell back onto the ground, her face trembling as her chest bled. Above her, Karasu looked down with a demonic look.

"I will kill you for this…" she growled, her voice sounding as though it was springing from Hell itself. "You will…" Suddenly Karasu stopped speaking, her gaze now skyward. Hinata strained her head to look in the same direction, and there found a bird flying in the air above them singing a peculiar song.

"What…is…this…?" gasped Hinata. Breathing was becoming difficult, and the pain continued to sear from her wounds all across her body and mind. Karasu then gave a dramatic sigh and closed her eyes for a moment, occasionally giving small, brief spurts of laughter.

"I guess you were right, little girl," said the summoner after this moment of silence. "Tetsuma told me that when he looked into your mind he saw the image of a boy you love. I hope that when he finds you his heart will break. That would make me happy." With those words Karasu ran off beyond Hinata's view away from the village, and when Hinata finally was able to turn her head the woman was gone.

"N…no…" stammered the Hyuga girl. "Not…not like this…" Pain overcame her senses, and she fell lifeless onto her side, unaware in those last moments of the small red and silver dog running frantically towards her.

"HINATA!!!"

**Next chapter: FINAL SHOWDOWN – NARUTO VERSUS TETSUMA**

BONUS! Believe it or not, this last chapter was the hardest one to write thus far. Seriously. Tell your friends to read the story! And get ready for my new Bleach fanfic, "The Viajante". Chapter one of that story will be up within the next two weeks.


	36. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER 35: FINAL SHOWDOWN – NARUTO UZUMAKI, AKIRA SUGIYAMA, TETSUMA HYUGA**

Tetsuma Hyuga, donned in his dark garments covered by a long, silvery robe with the kanji for "God", scowled as he lessened his grip on Neji Hyuga's throat. Indeed, the two seemed to be mirror images of each other, although Tetsuma's years of crime and violence definitely differentiated himself from his younger cousin. His face bore a number of healed-over scars, and his shoulder-length hair swayed gently in the breeze of the Hyuga's villa of Konoha. But what was most unique about his appearance from that of Neji was his eyes; the Ikemasen Byakugan, as it was called, radiantly shone from the five points on each eye – four glowing white points, one at each cardinal direction of the iris, and one in the center of the pupil accentuating the already vein-ridden and intense Byakugan. These eyes were set in a scowl as Tetsuma peered left past Neji's face at the new set of intruders.

"You, get away from my friends," commanded a boy's voice from off to the left. Tetsuma turned to see three figures: a handsome brown-haired man immediately recognizable as Akira Sugiyama, a huge orange toad, and a blonde-haired boy sitting on the toad's head. The boy donned a handsome black cloak with raging orange flames rising from the hem, his arms folded and his eyes closed.

"Akira…" said Tetsuma with a bored tone. "Who's your little friend with the big frog?"

"I am Naruto Uzumaki," replied the boy without hesitation. "And this is the end of you."

"Hmph…" grunted Tetsuma, releasing Neji from his grip, causing the Jonin to fall limply into the shallow pond. "Seems I can't count on Jago to do anything. And you, boy…wasn't Kira supposed to be fighting with you?"

"Kira is gone…" said Naruto softly, lowering his eyes in shame. "I defeated him myself, and Jago has joined with us."

"Is that so," countered Tetsuma. "Well, Jago's betrayal will be dealt with soon then. Once Raiko finds out, he will seek him out to destroy the whelk without a moment's hesitation. But since I can't seem to count on my subordinates to complete their assignments, I will just have to take care of them myself." Naruto looked onward intensely, his muscles preparing for the battle about to commence, but just as he was about to leap forth and commence, something flew past his vision. It was Akira.

"You bastard!" cried out the Kankokage, flying across the garden. In his hand was a kunai, and he swung it at Tetsuma without restraint. "You'll pay for what you've done!" Tetsuma looked up at him with a bored look in his eyes, and he pulled out a kunai of his own. Blades met with a spray of sparks, and the clash began, all the while Naruto looked onward in shock.

_This isn't the Akira I know…_ thought Naruto. _He's never shown rage like this…_

"Akira-sama, I'm impressed," said Tetsuma while the Kankokage let loose his rage upon him. "You're anger and hatred are splendid – you've finally shown me the strength you possess. I'm curious though…what brought this out?"

"You murderer…!" growled Akira, his rage spilling into his voice, making it warbled and unstable. "You killed my family, my friends…you destroyed my village, my hopes, my dreams…everything I spent my life creating, you destroyed! I can't hold it in any longer! I will kill you for your crimes against me and my people!" Akira continued his barrage of slashes and strikes upon the leader of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers, and it began to seem as though he was succeeding in weakening Tetsuma.

"Akira!" cried out Naruto, but the Kankokage didn't hesitate to interrupt.

"Stay out of this Naruto!" he shouted, not turning around. "This is my fight, and I will defeat this slime!" Naruto gulped; clearly Akira had been holding in a great deal of pain, and seeing the source of his pain in the flesh must have caused him to snap, replacing the calm, peaceful, and friendly Akira with what looked, acted, and sounded like a monster. Beyond Akira's screams of hatred increased, as did the frequency and speed of his attacks. It was then that Naruto felt it, a painful feeling he had tried to ignore since reaching the village and activating his Sage jutsu.

"Hinata…" he whispered to himself. _Hinata is dying…Lee too…and Jago…_

"What are you going to do Naruto?" asked the toad Gamakichi below. "Looks like Akira's gonna beat that guy pretty good. He might not need your help after all."

"Gama, go to the gate of the village and find Hinata," said Naruto bluntly, ignoring Gamakichi's statement. "You can heal, right?"

"I've been practicing healing jutsu, but all I can do is stabilize."

"That's good enough," continued Naruto. "Please hurry – it feels like the Wolf Fenrir is already there, but something doesn't seem right. Go quickly!"

"Fenrir?" gasped the toad. "What brought him out here?"

"Just go!" demanded Naruto.

"Yeah yeah, I'm on my way," said Gamakichi. "Be careful, okay?" Naruto nodded in the affirmative, his gaze never leaving the battle ensuing before him even as he hopped off the toad's head. Gamakichi leaped off out of sight, now leaving Naruto alone to witness the terrible fight between Akira and Tetsuma. A few more strikes came, each releasing more sparks than the one before, and with a mighty slash Tetsuma flew backwards, landing hard on his back. Akira stood above him, his chest heaving, his eyes twisted in unbridled anger and furor, sweat rolling down his face and his teeth clenched so tightly it hurt.

"S-stop!" pleaded Tetsuma. "D-don't kill me!" Akira scowled in anger as he looked down upon the trembling ninja.

"I'm sorry, I can't honor that request," said Akira coldly. "You will die here, and I will assure it no matter what."

"Akira…" said Naruto. "Akira you don't have to do this…"

"Shut up, Naruto!" shouted the Kankokage. "I can't let him live! Look what he's done already! He's wiped out the Brine, the Lightning, and now he's turned his destruction upon your own home, Konoha! He's murdered thousands, and I cannot look the other way!"

"N-n-no!" cried out Tetsuma, his trembling so intense it rattled his voice. His eyes still exhibited the Ikemasen Byakugan, but now they were so filled with fear that Akira ignored it.

"You will die now…for your sins…" Akira's face became stony and cold, the emotion leaving his face to be replaced by pure apathy. For him the agony, anger, hatred, and sorrow were complete, and now all that remained was the merciless, friendless, and heartless face of death. The time came, and he slashed his kunai down at Tetsuma's face. What happened then surprised Akira – indeed he had lost his ability to think logically, being lost in his own rage beyond the point of rational thought. Tetsuma's look of horror vanished, replaced instead by a cruel look of pleasure. Tetsuma's eyes flashed, the light emanating from each Ikemasen point, and Akira's movement immediately stopped.

"Heh heh…got you…"

Akira's body trembled despite his forced paralysis from Tetsuma's Byakugan while his foe stood up, brushed the dirt from his clothes, and cracked his knuckles while stretching. Naruto looked onward in horror; Akira had been stopped, and now would die any moment for sure.

"You are a poor ninja, Akira Sugiyama," said Tetsuma with a disappointed air to his voice. "You let loose so beautifully, then had to screw it all up. Thinking clearly under rage is difficult, yes, but impossible. I'm sorry to do this, I really am, but your life is now over." Tetsuma's right hand began to glow with chakra, and Naruto knew exactly what was about to happen – jyuuken, against an incapacitated foe, directly into the heart. One hit would be all he would need.

"Akira!" cried out Naruto, but before he could make his move Akira's seemingly frozen body stirred.

"N-not…yet…" muttered the Kankokage with all his strength. The three rings of Dragon, Earth, and Water began to glow red, and chakra rushed into his body like a broken dam. "Yubiwa no jutsu: hanatsu sankasa!" (Ring Technique: Three Ring Release)

Waves of red, brown and blue chakra burst out of Akira in all directions, creating wind gusts and blasting away debris and grass all around. As though having invisible chains broken, Akira's limbs became free, and with a dramatic burst of energy he broke free from the Ikemasen's grasp.

"Oh, this is interesting…" said Tetsuma with piqued interest. "They said you could die if you released all three rings at the same time. If my understanding of Ring jutsu is correct, releasing all that stored chakra into your system will overload your cells, leading to catastrophic damage. Tell me, am I really that worth it?" Akira did not respond, rather his eyes were directed at the ground, his entire figure motionless. His appearance had changed; his brown hair was now white, standing up rather than hanging down. Bi-colored were his eyes, his right grey and stony, the left deep and blue as the sea, and bronzed was his skin, almost as though it were covered with metal. Wings stretched from his back, large, bat-like wings, and power surged from his being unlike anything Naruto had seen before.

"To stop you…" uttered Akira, his voice so deep and powerful it shook every bone in Naruto's body, not to mentioned every physical object in view. "I would give up my life. Prepare yourself, Tetsuma!" Like a ghost Akira vanished, and Tetsuma's eyes lit up in shock as the Kankokage appeared several yards behind him in an instant.

"What?!" gasped Tetsuma, but Akira was already prepared to deliver his attack.

"Sankasanami." (Three Ring Wave)

Akira swept his arms and wings forward, sending a horrific wave of water, stone, and destruction at Tetsuma's back, the din of which sounded like a thousand rocky avalanches. Tetsuma turned, his eyes still wide in surprise as he looked upon the devastating technique headed his way, but instead of recoiling in fear he grinned.

"Beautiful technique, but not good enough," said Tetsuma. "Ikemasen o ninpo: shiden." (Forbidden ninja art: flash). Tetsuma likewise seemed to vanish just as the wave of death would have struck him, the wave instead continuing its course towards and unfortunately through the Hyuga leader's home, rendering it completely destroyed.

"W-what?!" gasped Akira, seeing the failure of his technique, but before he could make his next move Tetsuma was there, crouched down, inches away from Akira's body. Tetsuma's face was still set in a grin, and time seemed to stop for Akira as the words left his foes lips.

"Good bye, Kankokage-sama," said Tetsuma softly. "Jyuuken!" Tetsuma's hand, glowing with chakra, slammed into Akira's chest at his heart and threw him backwards several yards.

"AKIRA!!!" cried out Naruto, but it was too late. Akira's body reverted back to his normal, human form, and was motionless from then on, his face pointed away from Naruto's view. "No…"

"So much for that one," said Tetsuma coldly. "Now let's take a look at you, why don't we?" Naruto felt his own feelings become unstable as he looked upon this terrible person, his rage almost too much to handle.

"Akira was a good person, and you destroyed everything he held dear…" growled Naruto. "And you just throw him aside and treat him like garbage…that is unforgiveable." The Fox marks on his cheeks began to darken and become ragged despite his being in Sage mode, and upon seeing these Tetsuma became astonished.

"Oh my goodness!" he exclaimed as he made his realization. "You're THE Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Yeah, what of it?" replied Naruto coldly.

"You defeated Pain," continued Tetsuma. "You're the Nine-Tailed Fox host, a jinchuuriki, reputed to be the strongest ninja in the world! I never thought you would have grown up to be so influential; you see, last time I saw you, you were just a toddler that no one wanted or loved. Seems you've come a long way!"

"So what's your point?"

"Oh nothing, just my realization, that's all," replied Tetsuma nonchalantly. "You're still going to die, just like Akira. Now, come at me, if you dare."

"Why you…!" cried out Naruto, his feelings exploding. He then charged at Tetsuma at furious speed, crossing the entire garden in a blink of an eye, and the Taijutsu battle began. "I'm gonna destroy you for what you've done!!!" This effort seemed to be in vain, however; despite Naruto's overwhelming chakra and strength, Tetsuma's eyes seemed to see right through his attacks. As such, the Toad Sage was unable to even touch a single hair on Tetsuma's head.

"Pity," said Tetsuma, his voice sounding sad. "I expected more than that."

"Grrr!!!" growled Naruto, setting his fingers into a cross formation. "Tajuu kage bunshin no jutsu!" (Multi-shadow clone technique). With a great burst of smoke several hundred Naruto clone appeared in the ravaged garden.

"Shadow clones?" mused Tetsuma. "Lots of them!" Tetsuma's movement rivaled Neji for grace and fluidity as he coursed through the field of clones, each failed strike from Naruto's hands met with a jyuuken of Tetsuma's. One by one the clones vanished at an alarming rate, and even if several attacked at once the result was the same.

_He moves like Sasuke and Kakashi…_ thought Naruto as his clones continued their barrage of frightful fists and shins upon Tetsuma. _He doesn't have the Sharingan, though…I didn't think the Byakugan could do this? And he's only using his hands – this is insane!_

"My doujutsu is superior to that of the Uchiha clan," said Tetsuma suddenly, prompting a shock in Naruto's mind.

_How did he…?_ The last shadow clone was destroyed at Tetsuma's hand, and he turned his eyes upon the real Naruto.

"The Ikemasen Byakugan lets me see deep into your body, beyond just chakra flows. I can see into your mind, into your thoughts…I can go deeper and deeper unimpeded…" Naruto's body suddenly stopped moving as though it had been frozen into stone.

_What's going on?! I can't move!!!_

"You are trapped within my jutsu," said Tetsuma calmly. "Let's see what secrets a jinchuuriki has to offer me…" Naruto felt Tetsuma perusing his mind like an old book, stepping from thought to thought as though shopping for a pair of shoes.

"G…get out…of my…" stammered Naruto with all the strength he could muster.

"Oh, hush," retorted Tetsuma coldly, but then the scene changed. Tetsuma found himself standing in what looked like a flooded sewer system with water dripping from ceiling all around him.

"What is this I've found?" he mused, and he began strolling down the sewer, his legs splashing the water around with each step.

_Get out of there…_ thought Naruto, but Tetsuma ignored his plea, instead continuing his constitutional through this most secretive place within Naruto's psyche. It was as he passed a seemingly inconspicuous alley that Tetsuma heard a low rumbling, and with a smile he turned and walked towards it. Further and further into the shadows he went, but after a few dozen paces he entered a large room with a massive barred gate at the far end.

"This is…!" he gasped. "The Nine-Tailed Fox!"

_Get away from that gate!_ cried out Naruto in his thoughts, but again Tetsuma ignored him.

"Seems not just one seal, but two are keeping this gate locked," said Tetsuma, looking closer at the cage. Indeed, the seal placed by the Fourth Hokage was present, but an additional seal was present, this one bearing the kanji for "silence". "What is the purpose of this second seal, I wonder?"

_Please…_ pleaded Naruto. _Don't remove those seals!_

"But that would be so boring!" replied Tetsuma, and he pulled off the second seal. For a moment there was only silence, but then the same rumbling he had felt earlier returned – only this time a voice accompanied it.

"Naruto, is that you?" growled a deep voice, so full of evil that it gave Tetsuma chills across his entire being.

"I am not Naruto," replied Tetsuma proudly.

"Hmph, you don't feel like an Uchiha…" growled the voice. "Who are you?" Two huge, red eyes appeared through the darkness, accompanied by a horrible maw filled with razor-sharp teeth. "A Hyuga?! What is a filthy urchin like you doing here?!"

"Kyuubi," said Tetsuma. "I am here to free you." The Fox was silent for a moment, but then began to chuckle in a deep, booming chortle.

"You? A Hyuga? HA! You couldn't even scratch the Fourth's seal on this cage! You did well to remove Naruto's seal of silence; he's been relying on that 'good' Nine-Tail chakra for a couple years now, but I'm afraid you're just not…-" Tetsuma ignored the Fox, instead weaving a long, complex series of signs that caught the Kyuubi's attention.

"Again, I am here to free you," said Tetsuma. "I must say that it was pure luck that I came across such a wonderful treasure as the Kyuubi, but I can't simply let such a grand opportunity pass me by."

"What do you mean, opportunity?" asked the Fox. Tetsuma looked into the Fox's huge eyes and smiled.

"You will serve me, and help me destroy Konoha." Tetsuma's final sign was woven, and he placed his right hand upon the seal. "Ikemasen o ninpo: kaihofujirushumari!" (Forbidden ninja art: ultimate seal release). The seal dissolved, and the gate creaked open slightly, and Naruto's worst nightmare became realized.

_Oh God…_

"Come forth, Nine-Tailed Fox!" shouted Tetsuma. "Claim Naruto's body, come with me, and together we'll destroy Konoha!"

**Next chapter: THE ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE**

BONUS! I appreciate the reader feedback that you gave me for chapter 34; however, please keep your comments intelligent and kind. Just because you think I killed someone you like is no reason to freak out at me. Anyway, the next chapter is the last one I plan on doing for _Akira, Kankokage of the Three Mountains_, but never fear! I have many ideas in my childish mind. For your information, for several months I have been putting together the scenario for the sequel to this story. In addition, I have a new Bleach story coming out very soon entitled _The Viajante_. It's a new realm for me, but my two selected editors think the scenario is great…although a little frightening (my wife thinks it's almost too disturbing). Anyway, thank you for your readership and kindness, and get ready for the final installment of _Akira_! WOOT!


	37. Chapter 36 & Epilogue

**FINAL CHAPTER 36: THE ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE – THE ULTIMATE REDEMPTION**

With the seal dissolved, the gate began to slowly creak open, and inside a deep, wicked laugh emerged. Naruto, meanwhile, was completely frozen, his eyes widened to the point of pain in fear of what was about to happen: the Fox, the dark chakra beast he had never been able to tame, was loose…

_"Tsunade-sama, I still haven't been able to do it…" said Naruto dejectedly one year earlier as he stood humbly in the Hokage's office. "The Fox…it's something more sinister than the other Bijuu. It's too evil, and too powerful – I can't control this thing!"_

_Tsunade rested her face onto her hands as she gazed at the now world-famous Naruto Uzumaki, a quizzical look in her eyes as though something about him was puzzling her._

_"The Nine-Tails is unique in that sense," said Tsunade. "All of the other Jinchuuriki have mastered the beasts they carried, all except for the Nine-Tail and the One-Tail. Those two seem to be completely evil in nature, while Two through Eight have significant amounts of good chakra – even good personalities at times. The Eight-Tailed Jinchuuriki often said that he and the Eight-Tails were best friends…"_

_"I have felt some good in the Fox," continued Naruto. "Jiraiya taught me long ago to recognize the chakras within the Fox, and only recently have I been able to do that, but…" Naruto looked down to the floor with a look of concern._

_"But what?" asked the Hokage._

_"There's a hundred times more evil chakra than good in the Fox," said Naruto softly. "I need to gain control over it somehow, and I've been putting together a special seal just for this, but the more I think about it, the more bothered I get. If I succeed in sealing the evil Fox away, my stamina will be reduced a hundred-fold. My stamina is the only thing that really makes me different from the others…"_

_"You're heart is what makes you different, Naruto," interrupted Tsunade. "The Fox isn't you, and you aren't the Fox. Look at the Kazekage; when he lost the One-Tail, his powers were reduced drastically, but still the people looked up to him and respected him."_

_"But if I lose that strength, I don't think I could defeat another guy like Nagato…" said Naruto softly._

_"I think you should do what you feel is best then," said Tsunade, leaning back in her chair. "Thus far your use of the Fox has benefitted the village, but at the same time you have injured precious teachers and comrades with that same power. Which is more important to you?" Naruto stood in silence for several moments, pondering Tsunade's reply._

_"Either way it's the same answer…" said Naruto. "I have to seal away the evil Fox chakra, but I'll need your help with the procedure. I can't get the finalization step down right, and I'll need a second set of hands to set the final seal."_

_"Oh, you're making a seal now?" said Tsunade with interest. "You really are serious about that Hokage thing, aren't you? What is the seal's purpose, Naruto?"_

_"To silence it," he replied plainly. "To keep it from speaking a single word to me, even against my will. If I can silence the evil side of the Fox, it won't have any more influence over me, and…" Naruto stopped and looked out the windows of Tsunade's office._

_"And I won't have to suffer for hurting my friends any more…"_

_"What happens if you lose control and the seal breaks?" asked Tsunade._

_"Hopefully by then I'll know what to do," replied Naruto_

Hiashi Hyuga stirred as he opened his eyes, taking a moment to calibrate his mind and remember where he was, and why he was on the ground. The Hyuga clan leader then sat up, taking only a second to notice what was transpiring before him, and when that realization hit, his fears peaked.

"Naruto!" he gasped, looking upon the beleaguered Jinchuuriki. Naruto's eyes were now red as blood, the pupils small vertical slits, and the marks on his face were dark, almost like gashes in the skin. Everything about his demeanor spelled trouble, and Hiashi could feel the impending doom he felt seventeen years earlier when the Fox had first come to the village. He's losing control… thought Hiashi, and he turned and saw Neji in the pond and Hanabi upon the ground, both still unconscious. In addition he saw a stranger to him, a brown-haired fellow upon the ground, but he could not see his face. However, from his vantage point he looked dead, and when Hiashi attempted to activate his Byakugan to check the man's chakra streams a pain shot across his eyes and forehead. _It's no use…I'll have to get all three of them out of here…_

"Go ahead and take Hanabi and Neji, Hiashi-sama," said Tetsuma whose attention was still placed squarely upon Naruto, prompting a surprise out of Hiashi. "Feel free to run as far as you can – I'll still find you, and I'll finish you off then. Leave Akira, though; I have unfinished business with him." Hiashi hesitated, but eventually conceded to Tetsuma's words; he ran over to and picked up both Hanabi and Neji and ran as fast as he could out of the Hyuga compound, now completely deserted. In fact, most of the village was now deserted of civilians, these having already fled to the caves of the Hokage's mountain behind the village. Therein they waited for the all-clear, but for now they simply waited for the rumblings of battle to cease.

"Come forth, Nine-Tail…" said Tetsuma cruelly. "You are my servant now, and I would like to see you for the second time in my life. Please, show me your power." Naruto's eyes lit up as the Fox Cloak began to form around his body, and with a sudden burst of energy and force the nine tails emerged from the Cloak, transforming his body in an instant and obliterating the remaining buildings in the vicinity. The dust rose high into the air, but not high enough to obscure the one thing that still caused nightmares for all the villagers who could remember that day.

"GRAWWWR!!!" roared the great red Fox as it stood above the destroyed buildings, its nine tails swaying and whipping wildly through the air. Huge claws scraped into the earth as it stood, its ferocious fangs, each the length of a man, dripping with murderous intent, its eyes glaring down upon the village, the village that the cursed Fourth Hokage lived and died to protect. "FINALLY! I'M FINALLY FREE OF THAT WRETCHED NARUTO! GYAH HA HA!!!" The Fox's voice shook the entire village, and every man and woman, friend and foe, stopped immediately to turn and face the horror now within the village as it towered above the buildings.

"Now, destroy the caves in the Hokage's mountain…" said Tetsuma, still standing below the Fox in the ruined Hyuga complex. "All the villagers are there, inside, waiting for the danger to pass. Destroy that mountain, and the village will be as good as dead, and you will have exacted your revenge. Now, destroy it!" The Fox, however, hesitated, making no additional movement whatsoever.

"What are you doing?!" shouted Tetsuma after a frustrating moment. "GO! KILL THEM WHILE YOU HAVE THE CHANCE!!!" Still no response from the Fox, and Tetsuma's patience wore exceedingly thin. Above, the Fox stared intently upon the faces carved into the wall, each a visage of the previous and current Hokages, but most particularly the attention of the Fox was given to the fourth visage.

"Minato…" growled the Fox. With a sudden movement the Fox lurched its head backwards, its demonic pupils reeling back into its head. "W-what is th-this?! NARUTO!!!"

The scene changed from the Fox's viewpoint; instead of Konoha it stood in a vast underground chamber not unlike the cage in which it resided with in Naruto's soul. Endless it seemed to stretch in all directions, water running beneath in and dripping form the ceilings. Before the Fox stood Naruto, his eyes blank and his chest featuring a gaping hole, deep and black and seemingly of infinite depth.

"So, what do you think you're doing?" asked the Fox. Naruto raised up his hands, the palms facing upwards, and the hole upon his chest began to heal itself.

"I didn't say you could be released…" said Naruto softly. "But I don't think that matters now." The hole was now gone, and color began to return to his eyes.

"I'm free now, that's all that matters," growled the Fox. "I'm the master now!"

"I'm afraid not," replied Naruto, stepping towards the gargantuan Fox. "One year ago, I made a decision that left me weak, and now I am faced with something I was afraid of."

"And you're right to be afraid!" cried the Fox gleefully. "That Hyuga boy released me, and in so doing has destroyed your grasp upon me completely!"

"Incorrect…" said Naruto, raising up his right arm, the fist facing the Fox. "Everything has a purpose, even if we cannot see it immediately.

"What is that?" asked the Fox slowly, looking at the sparkling silver ring on Naruto's ring finger. Upon the ring was engraved the image of a fox with nine tails, and the longer the Fox looked at it the angrier it became.

"Akira-sama gave this to me when the mission began," continued Naruto. "At the time I just thought it would help me stabilize the good Fox chakra I have been using up until now, but now I realize it is much more than that. It is the key that I had been missing, the key that fate has been kind enough to give me. It is the key to controlling and mastering you, the Kyuubi, in your complete form."

"Miserable little cretin!" cursed the Fox. "You think that trinket means anything…to…" the Fox's words slowed to a stop as Naruto scowled upon the Fox.

"This ring helps me stabilize your evil chakra as well as the good chakra, and when it is stable it is much easier to see and control," continued Naruto. "You're going to listen to me now, Fox."

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!" screamed the Fox, breaking into a sprint towards Naruto. "I'LL KILL YOU, THE VILLAGE, AND ANYONE WHO GETS IN MY…-" The Fox's demeanor suddenly changed from maniacal to fearful as it looked into Naruto's unwavering, calm face, his blue eyes hard as rocks as they stared into the Fox's own. Naruto's arm was still raised, the ring now glowing a bright orange.

"I have no time to deal with you," said Naruto softly. "Stabilize chakra… control…" The Fox stopped in its monstrous tracks, its entire body trembling.

"Get back in your cage," commanded Naruto. "We work together now, you and me. We can no longer be enemies, and you will obey. It is for our best interest, but more than that, it's for the good of all. I think over time you will learn to call me friend, and when that time comes things will be a lot easier for both of us" A deep growl sounded from the Fox, but it did not lash out. Instead it closed its eyes and bowed its head down towards Naruto.

"Very well…master…"

The Fox vanished with an unfathomable burst of smoke, covering nearly half the city in its billowing wake, but as it settled it became clear to all that the Fox was gone. Of these was Tetsuma Hyuga, his face livid in hatred and rage as Naruto once again stood before him.

"You…" growled Tetsuma. "What are you?!"

"I'm a jinchuuriki," replied Naruto, his body, face, and eyes back to their normal state. "And thanks to you I have finally achieved my goal."

"Why you…!" shouted Tetsuma, now sprinting towards Naruto, his Ikemasen Byakugan blazing. "I'll force that Fox out of you, and with it I'll…-" Tetsuma saw into Naruto's mind for only a second before being forced out with seemingly no resistance at all. Again he tried to break in, but again was removed.

"The Fox doesn't want you prying around his turf anymore," said Naruto. "And frankly, neither do I. You're finished, Tetsuma. You can't get into my mind, and without that you are nothing." Naruto seemed to vanish from sight just as Tetsuma had while fighting Akira, and as if out of nowhere a fist collided into Tetsuma's jaw, the force sending him several yards off to the left where he landed hard.

"You cannot defeat me," said Naruto in a matter-of-fact tone. "You can't even see me strike. I know have control over the complete Nine-Tailed Fox; I don't even need my Sage chakra to defeat you. Give up, Tetsuma, before I'm forced to kill you. You are beaten."

"Oh am I, now?" said Tetsuma in a low tone, his teeth bared and the veins upon his face bulging. "I think it's time for me to show you the true power of the Ikemasen Byakugan, the power that caused such great fear in my ancestors that they sealed it away for generations! Behold, Shizenhakai!" (Destruction of Nature)

Light burst forth from Tetsuma's eyes, blinding Naruto and forcing him to look away. The radiance increased further and further, all the while Tetsuma's voice rang out in horrific screams of pain until finally the intensity of the light was fixed, and his voice turned into a maniacal laugh.

"HA!" chortled Tetsuma, his eyes now completely consumed with the light. No longer could any of the typical Byakugan features be seen, all instead enveloped in the amplified shining of the Shizenhakai Ikemasen Byakugan. "This is the height of doujutsu evolution, greater than even the Rinnegan or Mangekyou Sharingan. With this power, I can split apart chakra streams by my sheer will! No one, not even you, Naruto Uzumaki, can withstand that! Not even that precious Fox of yours!" Tetsuma's blindingly radiant gaze fell upon Naruto's face, and the leader of the Twelve Cloaked Daggers smiled.

"GAH!" cried Naruto as a pain erupted in the left side of his face. His left eye suddenly became dark, and feeling left his skin surrounding it. Opposite, Tetsuma continued in his unstable laughter.

"I just turned off your eye, Naruto!" laughed Tetsuma. "I did it all the way from over here! Do you still think I'm beaten? Do you?!" Naruto scowled and made his move, disappearing with a flash. "Oh, I don't think that will work now…" grumbled Tetsuma with a grin. Naruto appeared behind Tetsuma in an instant, his leg flying at the speed of sound towards Tetsuma's mid-section, but before he could connect Tetsuma vanished, though now without a word or a hand sign.

"Oh no…" gasped Naruto, and from behind him there was a flash followed by even more pain in Naruto's body, this time from his left arm. Just as with his eye, feeling completely left the arm, rendering it useless as it hung down limply from his shoulder. Before he could think, however, the strike came. Tetsuma slashed at Naruto's back with a kunai, and Naruto still dealing with the loss of his left arm, couldn't dodge. Blood sprayed from the wound as Tetsuma's kunai tore through his flesh, scraping against his ribs and tearing through the muscle.

"GAAAH!" cried out Naruto in pain, and with that he felt Tetsuma's foot connected hard into his back, knocking him forward several feet where he fell onto his hands and knees, blood soaking his cloak and dripping onto the ground.

"This technique is too much for you, jinchuuriki…" said Tetsuma slowly. "I didn't think I would have to use it, but then again, you are the 'greatest ninja in the world', right?" Naruto coughed, a flew specks of blood flying out with his breath, and he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "You know, I must say I am disappointed in you, Naruto. I heard so many amazing things about you, like how you could mix wind chakra with the Fourth's rasengan technique…rasenshuriken, I think is what they said it was called. Ninja everywhere claim it to be the strongest technique outside of the Sage of the Six Elements' domain, and yet you've done nothing but punch and kick me like some Taijutsu devotee?"

"Not here…" said Naruto in a labored, pain-stricken voice. "This is my home, and that technique is too much…it would destroy too much around it…and the pain it causes me…I promised…I promised Sakura and the old lady Tsunade I wouldn't use it without my Sage powers…but that time is gone…"

"Oh, that's too bad," said Tetsuma with a fake sense of sympathy, his eyes still radiant as though they were filled with burning magnesium. "I wanted to see it so badly…"

"That technique…" said Naruto, his head still lowered as he rested on his hands and knees. "That technique doesn't feel right to me. It's consuming you…it's going to kill you if you don't stop…"

"And what makes you so sure, huh?" replied Tetsuma. "You still trying to be the diplomat? You still think we can just 'talk' about it, and that somehow I will see the 'error of my ways'?"

"I'm serious…" said Naruto, now struggling to get back onto his feet. "I can feel it tearing your life away…if you don't stop now, you'll die within minutes." Tetsuma scowled, reducing the light from his eyes slightly.

"I don't believe you…" he growled.

"Why else would your ancestors have sealed it away?" asked Naruto, now standing upright and facing his foe head on. "It was a danger to them, and they were afraid it would destroy them! The same thing goes for Sasuke's clan and the sharingan – there gets a point where it does more damage than good for the user, and you are now at that point! Tetsuma, stop using that technique! You're killing yours…-!" Another shot of pain enveloped Naruto's body, his right leg becoming weak.

"Quiet, you filthy brat!" screamed Tetsuma, his eyes bursting further with light. "I won't take orders from you! I am a Hyuga! I am the rightful ruler of this world, and you will die for your treason against me! Look into these eyes, boy, for they will be the last sight you will ever behold!" Naruto looked up, and the light from Tetsuma's eyes broke through into his soul. With the light came great anguish and sorrow; the more it coursed through his paralyzed and incapacitated being, the more Naruto came to comprehend what exactly it was: pain, sadness, loneliness, anger, all negative feelings and emotions made up the light. It was so similar to Kira's Tenmongan technique it seemed almost humorous to Naruto, even in this dreadful hour.

_This power can only destroy, just like what happened to Kira. It is destroying you, Tetsuma. Can't you see that? Can't you see that this darkness is tearing your soul apart and releasing the light and life from within you spirit as a weapon? This Shizenhakai is no different from Kira's Enkykou or Sasuke's Mangekyou – they only serve to destroy, not just their enemies, but their friends, their families, and even themselves. Stop this, Tetsuma, for your own sake at least. You have great dreams, just like me, and even though our dreams are at odds, your life isn't so evil that it should be wiped out in this selfish, devilish destructive force. Stop this, Tetsuma, please, for the sake of the Hyuga clan. For the sake of the world._

"STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" screamed Tetsuma, his voice curdled in rage. "I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL…-!" Tetsuma suddenly stopped, a sound from behind breaking through into his senses.

"Kinjutsu: nususekei." (Forbidden Art: Life Shaver)

A spray of blue and black wisps of chakra flew out in all directions behind Tetsuma, and the Hyuga man fell to his knees, the light now gone from his eyes. Behind, Akira lay on the ground upon his stomach, and he released his right hand from Tetsuma's ankle. Tetuma then lifted up his face towards the sky, opened his mouth, and let out a cry that bested even the roar of the great Fox during its release. Every mile of the village felt the anguish and agony of Tetsuma cry. At this point Naruto regained his faculties, and slowly he walked towards the kneeling and enraged Tetsuma.

"THIS VILLAGE WILL DIE WITH ME!" boomed Tetsuma's psychotic voice. "BEHOLD THE ULTIMATE POWER OF THE BYAKUGAN! BEHOLD THE DESTRUCTION OF KONOHA!" The man's eyes were shooting out light as though it were a tangible material, and it even poured out of his mouth as he cried. Dirt and debris flew away from him as the waves of power and chakra blasted out of his body, and Naruto knew that it had to end here, and fast. Tetsuma never saw him as Naruto suddenly appeared in front of him, the blue sphere already prepared in his right hand without help of a shadow clone, but he did hear that word, spoken ever so softly as though with terrible sorrow and reluctance.

"Rasengan…" said Naruto, thrusting the sphere into Tetsuma's chest. With an explosion of power Tetsuma flew away, spinning wildly until he crashed into the ground in a heap.

"Tetsuma-san…" said Naruto softly as he gazed upon the wretched state of the Hyuga man. Tetsuma's eyes were now completely blackened, the sockets burned and the whites of his eyes completely replaced with charred tissue. A gaping, bloody wound dominated his chest where the rasengan had connected. Tears ran down Tetsuma's face, his mouth set in the state of anguish and despair to match the tears, and his voice was weak and full of sorrow.

"Naruto…" he said with a voice so soft it was barely audible. Naruto stepped closer, at which point he knelt down next to Tetsuma.

"Tetsuma, why didn't you listen?" said Naruto, sadness leaking into his own voice as he saw the terrible state of Tetsuma. "Why didn't you stop when I told you to?"

"You were right…" whispered Tetsuma, the tears still finding a way out of his charred eyes. "You were right…I was such a fool for not seeing through my own hatred…but now, none of that matters…" Naruto placed his hand upon Tetsuma's shoulder and lowered him onto his back.

"It's over now…" said Naruto. "You don't have to fight any longer."

"No, its not over…" said Tetsuma, now grabbing Naruto by the collar. Tetsuma's skin and arms looked withered away, as though he had somehow gained fifty years in age. "My body is broken and withering away because I let myself be consumed with hate. I caused the death of so many, and have ravaged entire nations. But even with all that torment upon my soul, even with all the sins I have committed, I must…ask of you…one thing…" Tetsuma's voice was growing weaker by the second, and Naruto, even without his Sage power, could feel his life slipping away.

"Tetsuma-san…" said Naruto softly, Tetsuma's grasp on his collar likewise weakening.

"Take…care of…Hinata…" stammered Tetsuma, his voice so weak it was merely breaths. "Make my clan…strong…and he…will…remember…" These words were the last to leave Tetsuma's lips, and he fell limp as the last ounce of life left his battered and burned body. Naruto sat there next to his former enemy's body for several moments without word or movement, looking down at the decrepit and ragged face which so recently had looked like Neji's. All that good Hyuga blood, all that pride, all that greatness…wasted.

"N-Naruto…" said Akira, his voice constrained by severe pain as well. "We won!"

"I know…" said Naruto softly. "What a wasted life…he was so filled with hatred that he destroyed himself. It's how it always goes, though, isn't it? The unchecked, unbridled desire for power mixed with hatred always leads to the same end. I'm just glad we were able to convince Jago to get out of that mess before it too consumed him." Naruto moved over to Akira and picked him up, supporting him with his shoulder as the two looked down upon Tetsuma's dead body for the last time.

--

Across the village, the Ring ninja battling with Kakashi and the other Leaf ninja suddenly stopped their offensive. Each fell to the ground then, holding their heads as if in pain, and after a moment of this behavior they fell unconscious to the ground.

"What happened now?" asked Chouji. "First the Fox appears and disappears, and now this?"

"I'm not sure…" replied Kakashi. "But I think this is over now." Beyond them, Moegi burst into tears as they finally knew the trouble was over and that she wouldn't be taken away from Konohamaru and Udon.

"Do you think Naruto is okay?" asked Sai, wiping a spot of blood off his cheek. Kakashi lowered his head and hummed in thought.

"I would think so," he replied. "He isn't one to give up that easily, even in the face of the Nine-Tail. But let's take care of the injured here first." Shizune and a team of medical ninja were already on the scene healing the wounded, though their task was rather daunting.

"We've taken a lot of damage," observed Shizune. "We lost a lot of good ninja today."

"Everyone did their job admirably," countered Kakashi. "A ninja is proud to die in worthy battle, and this was definitely a worthy battle." He, Chouji, and Sai then joined Shizune in treating their fallen comrades, as well as the now-disabled Ring ninja.

--

Several days had passed since the Twelve Cloaked Daggers launched their assault on Konoha, and already the ruined section of town were beginning to show growth. The industrious nature of the people could not be deterred by any form of destruction and death; the pride of the Leaf village and what it stood for in the hearts of the residents was too great to let go of their dreams. In all corners of the village the sound of woodwork and carpentry could be heard, even near the hospital where so many ninja now found themselves recuperating. In one room Jago Kotetsu, the redeemed villain, was receiving critical treatment for his near fatal wounds. In another two kunoichi were also being treated similarly.

"Has she awoken yet?" asked a nurse standing outside of Sakura Haruno's room to a doctor leaving the room.

"Not yet," he replied. "But she isn't in danger anymore. She just needs to find the will to wake up." Further down the hall, Might Guy and Rock Lee shared a room to deal with their injuries.

"So Ino Yamanaka saved you, huh?" asked Guy to Lee, who was sitting in his bed yet still training with a makeshift punching bag hung from the ceiling. "I've always known she was the best medical ninja in the village! Only the greatest could restore my wonderful student from his greatest injuries ever!"

"The seventh gate was most painful!" cried out Lee with a peculiarly happy and overjoyed voice. "I learned so much from my injuries, and I have a greater love for the power of youth!"

Down in the lobby, Gaara and Kankuro were preparing to check out, their injuries being milder than the others.

"So I guess you and Lee are even now, huh?" asked Kankuro, his face paint gone and his hair rather scruffy.

"Yeah…" said Gaara slowly. "Where is Temari?"

"Pff, she's still with Shikamaru upstairs," he replied annoyed. "He got pretty banged up by that demon he fought."

"We'll let her stay as long as she wants," said Gaara after a moment. "We're in no hurry to get home, and there's still things I want to do here. Let's go to see the Hokage." He and his brother then left the hospital, passing through the door just as Naruto ran in.

"Gaara!" exclaimed Naruto happily, stopping in front of the Kazekage. "How are you feeling now? You all better?"

"Yeah, I'm fine now," replied Gaara. "Why are you in such a hurry? The Kankokage has already left to see the Hokage."

"Yeah, he spent the whole night and day with that pink-haired girl," added Kankuro. "You would think he was in love with her the way he wouldn't leave her side until the Hokage sent for him."

"I'm supposed to be there too," said Naruto. "But I needed to come here first. I'll see you in a just a little while!" Naruto then ran through the door and out of sight from the Kazekage and his brother. Up the stairs he ran, not stopping until he came to the room where Sakura and Hinata were still being held. Their injuries were extensive, and both still hadn't awoken from their comas.

Naruto stood stoically in the doorway as he looked upon the two women most important to him. A feeling of guilt rushed over him, and he walked over and sat down in between the side-by-side beds.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you both…" he whispered, and he placed his face into his hands.

"Naruto?" asked a voice from the doorway. Naruto lifted up his head only to see Akira Sugiyama standing in the hall. "Can I come in?"

"I thought you were with Tsuande-sama?" asked Naruto as Akira sat down in a chair on the other side of Sakura's bed.

"I never made it there," replied the Kankokage. "I couldn't stand to leave these two alone. I feel like it's all my fault that they ended up the way they did."

"I guess it isn't anyone's fault…" said Naruto softly. "I always beat myself up whenever my friends get hurt, even when I had nothing to do with it."

"That's because you love them," answered Akira. "Love is an interesting emotion, you know. I have no doubt in my mind that Tetsuma Hyuga loved his family and his clan more than anything, but it is easy for love to be replaced with selfish pride without our knowledge. We have to keep reminding ourselves why we love, why we care. I fell victim to the same fate as Tetsuma when I saw him there…I lost control, replacing the love for my village and family with pride, and that in turn lead directly to hatred and rage. But you, Naruto…you have shown yourself to truly be the most powerful ninja in the world."

"But I couldn't save him…" said Naruto quietly. "I couldn't bring any of them back…not Tetsuma…not Kira…I'm just not strong enough."

"Physical strength isn't what I'm talking about, Naruto-kun," continued Akira. "You were able to keep your love for your friends, comrades, and even your enemy intact. You didn't act out on rage or illogical hatred…you fought to preserve and protect, not to destroy. If even a handful of ninja were like you, there would be drastically less strife in the world. And besides, in the end I think you were able to reach Tetsuma. He expressed great sorrow for his actions, and even with his last words he sought to make some sort of reparation." Naruto thought back to those words that at the time stung like thorns.

_He will remember…_

"I wonder what he meant by that…" said Naruto, thinking back. "Who was he talking about? He will remember…who was he talking about?"

"I don't know…" replied Akira, but as he did so Sakura began to stir, absconding all of the Kankokage's attention.

"A-Aki…ra…" whispered Sakura, and Akira took her hand, a tear now running down his cheek. Naruto looked on with overwhelming joy as his best friend awoke, her injuries being so extensive that the doctors didn't think she would make it when Tenten first brought her back.

"I'm here, Sakura-chan…" said Akira with a smile, squeezing her hand. Yet despite this happy moment, Naruto couldn't help but turn around to look at Hinata in her comatose state.

"Will you come back, Hina-chan?" whispered Naruto sorrowfully. Even though he knew it was likely impossible, in his heart he wished that she had responded like Sakura, but to his disappointment she stayed in the same state. The wound across her chest had been deep, so deep that her mind went without blood for a time. Truly Naruto's heart had broken when he looked upon her in her unfortunate condition, and he wished he could do anything to restore her. Several minutes passed, and Sakura was once again asleep. Naruto and Akira then took their leave and headed for the Hokage's office where they were sure an angry Tsunade would demand to know why they were late.

--

"WHY ARE YOU LATE?!" shouted Tsunade directly at Naruto, giving Akira a pass and enraging the jinchuuriki. Yuriko the Mizukage, Gaara the Kazekage, and Shizune both tensed up a bit as Tsunade's anger bellowed throughout the room.

"Why are you laying it all on me?!" countered Naruto, and Akira walked up to the Hokage's desk.

"It's my fault, Tsunade-sama," said the Kankokage in a sweet voice that melted Tsunade's (and Shizune's) heart. "I wanted to make sure Sakura and Hinata were safe and well; after all, they were entrusted to my care during this whole situation – I can't help but feel responsible for their injuries."

"No one is blaming you for any injuries, Akira-san" replied Tsunade. "You, Hinata, Shikamaru, Sakura, and Naruto performed as well as anyone could have imagined. You saved the Fire Country, and countless thousands of lives were spared thanks to your actions. We have sent several teams and civilians to the Lightning Country to help them rebuild, and I would expect that you would need help rebuilding as well…" Akira shook his head in the negative, startling Tsunade a little.

"My Ring ninja have recovered from their possession at Tetsuma's hands," said Akira. "But there are so few left of us now that we don't know if there is a future left for us anymore beneath the Three Mountains of the Brine. We have discussed this at length and…" Akira looked over to Naruto with a smile. "We are thinking of splitting up. Tonbo will lead the remainder of our ninja into the Lightning Country to help restore them and settle a new village, and I wish to remain here in the Leaf. I wish to call Konoha my home." At this point Tsunade was completely shocked and taken aback, and she stuttered a little before her words could come out.

"B-but you're the Kankokage!" stuttered Tsunade. "Why would you…?"

"It is his decision," interrupted Yuriko. If he wishes to stay in Konoha, the Water Country will honor that decision." Yuriko then bowed towards the Kankokage and Hokage and left the room.

"But if you stay, the title Kankokage has nothing but sentimental value to it," continued Tsunade. "Your status as a great leader in the world will vanish."

"Then it will vanish," countered Akira quickly. "Hokage-sama, I wish to serve under your leadership the remainder of my days. I wish to see the progress of Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki, not to mention the career of Hinata Hyuga. I want to be there when Shikamaru Nara gains worldwide notoriety. I want to help you, who have helped me more than I can imagine. The support you have given me during this most testing time of my life would be enough to repay any debt. Please, Hokage-sama. Permit me to stay as a Jonin of the Leaf." Tsunade scowled slightly at Akira as she peered into his eyes searching for integrity. Moments passed, and finally she opened her mouth to speak.

"Very well," she said. "You, Akira Sugiyama, the Kankokage, shall be henceforth a Jonin for Konoha. Your loyalties are with me, your comrades, and the village forever."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," said Akira, then turning to Naruto. "I'll meet you down at Ichiraku's later. See you…" Akira walked out of the office and down the hall, while Shizune followed almost trance-like, leaving Gaara, Tsunade, and Naruto alone.

"That Shizune…" said Tsunade, shaking her head. "Kazekage-sama, please feel free to abide in our city as long as necessary, but don't forget about your own people. It was reported that two of the assailants escaped, while a third simply disappeared. I have a feeling in my gut that this isn't over…"

"Hokage-sama…" interjected Naruto. "I think Kira Maraki is still alive."

"Your report stated the traitor was killed by your hand," replied Tsunade. "Now you tell me you didn't finish the job?"

"I wasn't sure what happened at the time," continued Naruto. "I hit him with rasenshuriken, then afterward he seemed to vanish. But with what Tetsuma told me…I think he's still alive."

"If that's the case then this is far from over," continued Tsunade. "If the Maraki boy has truly lost his mind due to that cursed ancestry of his, then there is no telling what action he'll take. But one thing is for sure: he knows who hurt him." Naruto nodded, and with that he headed for the door.

"Naruto…" said Gaara softly, causing Naruto to stop and turn. "I have appealed to Konoha's elders and to Tsunade-sama for you to be named then next Hokage." While Tsunade expected a reaction of joy from Naruto, all that came was a shrug of shoulders.

"Thanks, but…" started Naruto. "I…" Naruto immediately turned again and left the room in a hurry, leaving the two kages alone.

"Who is this Kira?" asked Gaara. "How can he be so influential to sway Naruto's desire to become Hokage?"

"Sasuke Uchiha and Kira Maraki hold similar places in Naruto's heart," replied Tsunade. "I'm sure he thinks that until he can restore them, he doesn't deserve to be called Hokage. Sit down, and I will tell you about Kira." Tsunade went to her bookshelf and pulled out a book entitled "Kira Maraki and the Heaven's Gate Eye", opened to the first page, and began telling Kira's story.

Later that evening, Naruto joined Akira in the Konoha cemetery where the members of the Hyuga clan, Hinata excepted, met to lay to rest the broken body of their once beloved child, Tetsuma. Few tears were shed, however; rather his memorial stood as a testament to the importance of control, of love, of respect. Tetsuma's life was a warning to those who refused to let go of presupposed fate, to those who thought darkness was an acceptable form of living. The Hyuga boy finally was home, laid to rest next to his father and mother, never again to run away.

After the proceedings, Akira and Naruto were left alone in the cemetery as clouds rolled in as they had so long ago when Naruto had thought Kira was dead. The temperature dropped along with the pressure, and tiny droplets of rain preceded the larger storm at hand. Both men knew that this was a time of mourning and recollection, a time of rest and repair, but deep inside both Naruto Uzumaki and Akira Sugiyama knew…

This wasn't over.

--

Deep in the northern woods of the Fire Country stood a shack of world-renown repute. The legendary Curry of Life was made here by the foremost curry experts, and this holy dish had been the savior of many wearied traveler and damaged warrior. This stormy day there were as yet no customers, and Karashi, the shop owner's tall, lanky son, looked forlorn as he viewed the storm rolling in.

"Grandma Sanshou, I don't think we'll get any customers today," said Karashi dejectedly. "This storm has the look of a monsoon."

"Oh, I suppose you're right…" said Grandmas Sanshou, stricken in age to the point where she could no longer make the curry herself. "Ranmaru, lets bottle it up for today." Inside the kitchen a young boy of about eleven years of age poked his lavender-haired head out of the kitchen.

"Yes ma'am…" he said in a prepubescent voice. The boy Ranmaru's red eyes were always lovely to Grandma Sanshou, so full of energy and life as they had been since those nice ninja from Konoha had brought him here to start his new life. Ranmaru started bottling up the curry when a knock came at the door.

"Just a second…" said Karashi, putting away a bucket before opening the door. When he did so he found a woman, cloaked, with only her mouth and chin visible. "Come in! Come in!" Karashi beckoned the woman in, and she sat down at the long wooden table, her cloak still covering her face.

"Oh miss!" exclaimed Sanshou. "Welcome to the Curry of Life restaurant!"

"So this is the place…" muttered the woman in a smooth, soft tone. Out of the kitchen came Ranmaru with a bowl of curry and a rack of spices, and he set them down in front of the woman.

"This is the milder curry, so you can add more spice if you…" Ranmaru stopped as he looked at the woman's mouth. A tear was running down her face, curving around her lips and running to the tip of her chin, where it balled up and fell onto the table. "Miss, are you all right? Are you hurt?" The woman shook her in the negative and sniffed as more tears fell down her cheek. She then lifted her hood, exposing her beautiful long silver hair and luscious crimson eyes now filled to the brim and overflowing with tears. Upon her face was a smile, sweet yet sorrowful, and she gazed longingly at the somewhat confused boy.

"Ranmaru…" she said softly through her unending tears, taking Ranmaru's hand in hers. "I'm your mother, Ona Doro."

**EPILOGUE: REUNION**

The cave in the south of the Country of Lightning was dark and damp as the storms that came in emptied rain upon the lands round about for days. Inside there were many sounds – bats, rodents, insects, among other animals trying to escape the monsoon, but deeper in the cave a light could be seen. It was as the rains fell that a man with white hair and electric blue eyes entered the cave, coursing downward until he could see the light.

"Man, you sure know how to pick the best places for a party…" he muttered to himself, brushing away a cobweb he inadvertently walked into. The closer he got to the light the more recognizable it was: a torch, below which stood an old, hewn staircase. These stairs wound down deeper into the mountainside, the air getting cooler and cooler with each step. Finally the man reached the landing, wherein a peculiar sight awaited him.

"It's about damn time you got here, Raiko," said Karasu Sashimi. "You're two days late."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a Crow I can ride, do I?" retorted Raiko. "I have to travel by foot."

"Whatever," said Karasu annoyed. She then turned and spoke to a figure sitting in a shadow untouched by torchlight. "Anyway, we're all here. What is the 'big plan' that was important for us to abandon Tetsuma?" Behind the figure (and to Raiko's shock and surprise) stood a rather large bird resembling a Storm Petrel of the Gorge, a mythical bird not unlike the Osprey and Ravens.

"So you finally got her to show up, huh?" mused Raiko. "Some guy…"

"I've been enlightened…" said a young male voice from the shadow. "After my defeat I had a vision, one which I could not ignore. There is a boy, a very special boy, living alone in the Country of Stone. We must find him…"

"What?" asked Raiko incredulously. "You mean I came all this way to go babysitting?!"

"Raiko, you would be most interested in this boy," continued the voice. "When we find him, you will understand." Raiko's confusion turned into interest, and the man leaned forward, exposing his scarred face. His left eye was covered in bandages, a long recently healed scar extending up his forehead and down his cheek. His short, dark-brown hair was dirty and unkempt, but what took Raiko's complete attention was the look in the man's right eye: maniacal, unbridled evil, seemingly uncaring of everything.

"So what's the plan then, Kira?" asked Raiko. Kira Maraki smiled and took a deep breath.

"It's time to destroy the world."

**THE END – AKIRA, KANKOKAGE OF THE THREE MOUNTAINS**

**BONUS**! Well, that's it. I hope you liked it. Chapter 2 of my new Bleach fanfic The Viajante will be released soon, and keep your eyes open for the sequel to this story, which will have the title Journey to the Heaven's Gate. Thank you so much for your comments thus far and your support, and I hope you read it again sometime. Kankokage loves you.


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